Slender, elongate, compressed at rear; belly rounded; eye large 1/3 head length, equal to snout length); head relatively narrow (width 55% of head length), deep, upper profile relatively straight; mouth oblique, top jaw not extendible; top of upper jaw straight, extends to eye, lower jaw with prominent elevation at rear (its height > 1/3 jaw length); teeth small, simple, inconspicuous, in bands on jaws, none on tongue; no forward projecting teeth on front of lower jaw; gill rakers long, slender, 24 or more; 1st dorsal V-VII spines, well in front of anal; 2nd dorsal I, 8-10, origin over or just behind anal origin; anal I, 11, about same length as 2nd dorsal, margin of fin straight; pelvic 2/3 length of pectoral, which is > ¾ length of head; scales small, 42-45 on lateral line, 6 rows above lateral line; bases of dorsal and anal fins not scaled.
Greenish white on back, silvery with bluish reflections below; moderate silver stripe (covering 3rd row of scales down from top plus edges of two adjacent rows) bordered above by an iridescent blue-green line, from gill opening to tail, at front silver stripe is nearly as wide as pectoral fin base; tips of tail dusky.
Size: 10 cm.
Habitat: shallow protected coastal bays and lagoons, and around reefs.
Depth: 0-10 m?
A tropical West Atlantic species that was introduced into our region at Tumaco, Colombia.
