Silverside (fish)

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iSilverside

Labidesthes sicculus

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Atheriniformes
Family:	Atherinidae

Genera

See text

The silversides are a family, Atherinidae, of fish in the order Atheriniformes. It consists of about 165 species in 25 genera, occurring worldwide in tropical and temperate waters. About 2/3 of the species are marine, and the remainder live in fresh water.

Silversides are relatively small, some species reaching 60 cm, but most are under 20 cm, and several are not recorded at more than 5 cm. The body is generally elongate. Distinctive characters include two dorsal fins widely separated, with the first consisting of flexible spines and the second having one spine followed by soft rays, while the anal fin has one spine on the leading edge followed by soft rays. The pectoral fins tend to be high, and there is no lateral line. On the flanks there is a broad silvery band. The scales are relatively large.

They feed on zooplankton. Some species, such as the hardhead silverside, Atherinomorus lacunosus, are commercially fished.

The family Atherinopsidae (neotropical silversides) is closely related.