Species: Eucinostomus harengulus, Tidewater Mojarra

Eucinostomus harengulus Goode & Bean, 1879

Tidewater Mojarra

Body oval, fusiform, compressed, depth 33.2-35.9% 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); pectoral not reaching to anal fin origin; anal rays III, 8, spines weak, 2nd spine short, < height of tail base; tail base least depth 10.4-11.1% SL; 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 neither constricted on each side at front by scales, nor crossed by a row scales at front; lateral line scales 43-46.

Relatively heavily pigmented: silvery; body with 6 dark blotches along mid-side that join with 7 oblique bars on upper back; outer part of spiny dorsal dark; no distinct V shaped mark on snout.

Grows to 15 cm.

Primarily in estuaries on vegetated bottoms, mangroves and sand and mud bottoms; penetrating into freshwater.

Depth: 0-10 m.

Cape Hatteras to Argentina.