Species: Menidia peninsulae, Tidewater Silverside

Menidia peninsulae (Goode & Bean, 1879)

Tidewater Silverside

Body elongate, compressed; eye large; snout shorter than eye, without pits, pores or tubes on top; top jaw extendible, premaxilla with rear end greatly expanded, without expanded bony process above its center; teeth well developed, in bands; first dorsal IV-VI, origin over or behind rear ¼ of pelvic fin, bases of rear spines behind tip of pelvic fin; two dorsal fins well spaced; horizontal distance between 1st dorsal and anal >7% of SL; anal fin I, 13-19, edge of fin straight; pelvics inserted nearer pectoral base than anal origin; scales without scalloped edges; lateral scales 34-43.

Bright yellow to olive above lateral stripe; top of head yellow-green; lateral stripe prominent, lined with black along top edge; belly yellowish.

Reaches 18.3 cm.

Lives in quiet coastal waters, estuaries, ponds; in brackish to salt water.

Depth range: 0-5 m.

NE Florida to the Gulf of Mexico.