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Species: Brevoortia gunteri, Finescale menhaden

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1 shoulder spot
pectoral tip reaches to 1-2 scales from pelvic base
pelvic: oblique edge, inner rays shorter
belly scutes 27-30

Brevoortia gunteri Hildebrand, 1948

Finescale menhaden

Deep bodied, compressed; head, and especially the gill cover, large; mouth large, upper jaw with a distinct central notch into which the tip of the lower jaw fits; adults without jaw teeth; gill rakers long, fine, numerous, those on upper part of gill arch overlapping those on lower arm; dorsal and anal fins short, anal origin under or behind last dorsal ray; pelvics i, 6; its rear margin oblique, nearly straight, inner rays distinctly shorter than outer rays when fin is folded back; tip of pectoral reaches to within 1-2 scales of pelvic base; a forked tail fin; belly midline fully covered with a keel of scutes (hard, spiny scales), 27-30 scutes; scales rough, 35-46 scales in lateral series; scales on upper tail base and base of tail fin not markedly smaller than rest; back before dorsal fin with a ridge along the midline formed by a double line of modified scales.

Silvery, a small dark spot just behind upper corner of operculum, but none along flank; fins dusky to yellow.

Reaches 33 cm.

Marine, inshore pelagic; also enters brackish water.

Depth range: 0-10 m?

Gulf of Mexico.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Brackish
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Near Surface
  • Mid Water
  • Water column only
  • Surface
Habitat
  • Estuary
  • Water column
FishBase Habitat
  • Pelagic
Feeding Group
  • Planktivore
  • Data
  • Carnivore
Diet
  • Data
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
  • Phytoplankton
  • Zooplankton
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species.
  • West Atlantic Endemic
  • Greater Caribbean endemic
Regional Endemism
  • All species..
  • Gulf of Mexico endemic
  • Continent only
  • GC endemic
  • Continent
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
IUCN Red List
  • Listed
  • Least concern
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 33
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 10