Species: Eucinostomus gula, Silver Jenny, Silver Jenny Mojarra

Eucinostomus gula (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)

Silver Jenny, Silver Jenny Mojarra

Body oval, fusiform, compressed, depth 38.1-42.2% of SL; the lower profile of the head distinctively concave; the mouth is highly extensible, pointing downward when protruded; jaws appear toothless but have tiny, brush-like teeth; lower border of preopercle smooth; bone under front of eye with smooth border; 7-8 lower gill rakers; dorsal fin IX, 10, 2nd spine </= distance between tip of snout and rear of eye, last spine short (5.8-7.1% of SL), its base 15.6-18% SL; pectoral not reaching to anal fin origin; anal rays III, 8, spines weak, 2nd spine longest; tail fin deeply forked; scales large, conspicuous and finely rough, covering most of head and body; dorsal and anal fins fold into a high scaly sheath along their bases; pectorals without scales; scales extend before front of eye on top of snout around scaleless groove that is crossed by a row scales at front.

Silvery, with bluish reflections above, body with 9 dark spots along mid-side that join with 7 oblique bars on upper back; outer part of spiny dorsal lightly dusky.

Grows to 22.7 cm.

Primarily on vegetated bottoms, but on adjacent sand bottoms; estuarine but not into freshwaters; in hypersaline areas.

Depth: 0-71 m.

Cape Hatteras to Argentina.

Note: The population found in the Gulf of Mexico and eastern USA probably is a separate species.