Atlantic silverside

Language English

Onglets

Description

Distinguishing features

The Atlantic silverside is a small, elongated fish. It has silvery sides and a translucent green back.

It has two dorsal fins. The first dorsal fin has stiff, spiny rays, while the second one is soft. This feature is enough to distinguish it from smelt and capelin, which are similarly shaped but have only one soft dorsal fin. Smelt and capelin also have an adipose dorsal fin near the tail. The Atlantic silverside’s large anal fin is another distinguishing feature. It has a forked tail.

Atlantic silversides, just like smelt and capelin, swim in schools. While all three species share many superficial similarities, they are not at all related.

Reproduction

Depending on latitude, spawning occurs between March and August. Large numbers of Atlantic silverside then gather in huge schools where aquatic vegetation is abundant. Spawning occurs during the higher tides of new or full moons.

Atlantic silverside eggs are released over sandy bottoms, often among aquatic plants to which they adhere. The eggs are 0,08 to 1,2 mm in diameter.

Diet

These fish are omnivorous, eating small animals and plants (often algae). Their diet consists of a wide variety of tiny organisms such as copepods, amphipods and other types of zooplankton, along with small shrimp, squid, marine worms and the eggs of other marine species. They can also be observed feeding on insect larvae.

Predators

Atlantic silversides have many predators, including large bottom-dwelling fish, birds and marine mammals (especially seals). Striped bass and Atlantic mackerel are two types of fish that predate upon silversides.

Egrets, herons, cormorants, terns and gulls are all birds that predate upon silverside as well.

Habitat

Atlantic silversides are usually found in estuaries and brackish marshes near coastlines. Their distribution area extends from the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence to Florida.

Ecology, behaviour

These fish have a short biological cycle. Very few Atlantic silverside actually reach two years of age. This quick cycle, along with high fecundity, are typical of forage species (species that are important food sources for larger species).

Atlantic silverside mainly frequent shorelines, especially in estuaries and coastal marshes. They may migrate offshore in winter, however.

Schooling is a form of protection for these fish. They form a compact ball and scatter in every direction when a predator approaches. This is a very effective means of defence, because the confused predator does not know which fish to pick off.

French name

Capucette

Scientific name

Menidia menidia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Osteichthyes (bony fish)

Order

Atheriniforma

Family

cathartiformes

Size

Lenght: 15 cm

Life span

Rarely over two years.

Status

Least concern (UICN 2016)

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