Species: Atherinomorus stipes, Hardhead Silverside

lower lip: small, outwarding pointing teeth
Atherinomorus stipes (Müller & Troschel in Schomburgk, 1848)
Hardhead Silverside
Elongate, body relatively deep (>20% SL); eye large (~ twice snout length); head wide (63% of head length) and relatively deep, upper profile straight; bony ridge on each side of snout; top jaw not extendable, extending back past front edge of eye, front (premaxilla) bone with rear end narrow and pointed (not expanded), and with a bony process above its center; inner rear surface of lower jaw only slightly raised; teeth small, simple, in narrow bands on jaws, center of lower lip with small, outward pointing teeth; projection at rear of lower jaw small; 1st dorsal fin IV-VI, entirely before anal origin; 2nd dorsal origin after anal origin, I, 8-10; pectoral: i,13-14; anal I, 11-13, margin concave; anus well before anal fin; scales with ruffled rear margins; 37-42 scales on lateral line; breast and throat scaled; a sheath of scales on bases of dorsal, anal and pectoral fins.
Greenish on back with silver stripe (at least ¾ height of scale under dorsal fin) overlying a black one along mid-flank, stripe narrow at front (width < ½ pectoral fin base); two series of black dots along sides of tail; tail tips often black in large fish.
Size: 10 cm.
Habitat: shallow waters over reefs and nearby soft bottoms.
Depth: 0-10 m?
The Gulf of Mexico to Argentina.

High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Brackish
- Marine
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Near Surface
- Surface
- Water column only
- Habitat
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- Water column
- Estuary
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Pelagic
- Reef Associated
- Feeding Group
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- Data
- Planktivore
- Diet
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- Data
- Zooplankton
- Pelagic fish eggs
- Pelagic fish larvae
- Egg Type
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- Benthic
- Data
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- All species
- Greater Caribbean non-endemic
- West Atlantic Endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Also in Brazil
- Continent
- Continent + Island (s)
- Extends South of GC
- GC non-endemic
- Island (s)
- All species
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 10
- Depth Range Min
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- 0
- Depth Range Max
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- 10