Species: Alepidomus evermanni, Cuban Silverside

Alepidomus evermanni (Eigenmann, 1903)

Cuban Silverside

Eye large (> snout length); head relatively deep, top profile straight; top jaw not extendable; premaxilla (front top jaw bone) with rear end narrow and pointed (not expanded), with a bony process above its center; lower jaw slightly longer than upper; gill rakers </= 21, long and slender; 1st dorsal V, origin well before anal origin, behind pectoral origin; anal fin with I front spine; rear edges of soft dorsal and anal fins notably concave; pectoral fin inserted high on body, above mid-level of eye; pelvic fin on belly, I, 5, inserted closer to pectoral base than anal fin origin; tail fin forked; no lateral line; 32 lateral scales; no scales under throat, front of breast and under pectoral; no scales along bases of anal and dorsal fins; 10 scale rows from anal fin to middle of back.

Pale; silver stripe narrow, <1/2 scale height under dorsal fin, most conspicuous on tail base; back above stripe heavily speckled in black, especially along the midline.

Reaches 6.2 cm.

Mainly found in freshwater, but also enters estuaries.

Depth range: 0-5 m.

Cuba.