Tropical silverside
📖 Overview
Inhabits shallow coastal waters ; broadly distributed throughout mangrove estuaries to the open coast . Occurs in schools along calm shorelines . Important as forage food species to larger commercial fish and as bait fish .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 5 - 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8 - 11; Anal spines: 11 - 14; Vertebrae: 37 - 40. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: ascending process of the premaxilla short and blunt, its height about two times maximum width, shorter than horizontal length of premaxilla, its height about 2/5 of the horizontal length; premaxilla has a single lateral process; posterior upper margin of dentary with a small process; posterior margin of midlateral scales double or triple truncate; pit on midlateral scales rounded, rarely oval; large head, 25-32% SL; midlateral scales 35-38; total vertebrae 37-40; gill rakers on lower arch 20-24; midlateral band is narrow, width about 1/2 to 3/4 that of midlateral scale, its lower margin not reaching to lower margin of midlateral scale at the level of anal-fin origin (width of midlateral band 12-21% of body depth and 33-59% of caudal peduncle depth at the level of anal-fin origin). Colour of head and body greenish gray or whitish dorsally, brilliant silver laterally; dorsal and dorsolateral scale pockets fringed with black (not distinct in some specimens); a midlateral band silver or glossy indigo blue, the margin of its upper edge is light yellow or light green; there are small black dots ventrolaterally on the body which may be absent; the snout, pectoral-fin base, and posterior margin of caudal fin are blackish; fin membranes are hyaline .Cross section: oval.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Tropical silverside is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
Diet information for Tropical silverside is currently being compiled.
🥚 Reproduction
Reproduction data for Tropical silverside is currently being compiled.
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; brackish; demersal; oceanodromous ; depth range 0 - 4 m . Tropical; 24°N - 24°S, 43°E - 172°E West Pacific: from Comoro Is.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
👥 Community & Contribute
No observations yet — be the first to log one!
View all observations for Tropical silverside ↗Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.
Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.