Species: Atherina harringtonensis, Reef Silverside

Atherina harringtonensis Goode, 1877

Reef Silverside

Slender, body depth 14% SL, elongate, compressed at rear; belly rounded; eye large (~ 1/3 head length, equal to snout length); head relatively narrow (width 55% of head length), deep, upper profile relatively straight; bony ridge on each side of snout; mouth oblique, 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; lower jaw with prominent elevation at rear (its height > 1/3 jaw length); teeth small, simple, inconspicuous, in bands on jaws, none on tongue; no forward projecting teeth on front of lower jaw; gill rakers long, slender, 24 or more; 1st dorsal V-VI spines, well in front of anal; 2nd dorsal I, 8-10, origin over or just behind anal origin; pectoral i,10; anal I, 11-12, about same length as 2nd dorsal, margin of fin straight; pelvic 2/3 length of pectoral, which is > ¾ length of head; scales small, 42-45 on lateral line, 6 rows above lateral line; breast and throat scaled; bases of dorsal and anal fins not scaled.

Greenish white on back, silvery with bluish reflections below; moderate silver stripe (covering 3rd row of scales down from top plus edges of two adjacent rows) bordered above by an iridescent blue-green line, from gill opening to tail, at front silver stripe is nearly as wide as pectoral fin base; tips of tail dusky.

Size: 10 cm.

Habitat: shallow protected coastal bays and lagoons, and around reefs.

Depth: 0-20 m?

Bermuda to the S Caribbean.