Identification:
Slim-bodied fish, with small head but having large eyes. The large
mouth is set at an oblique angle to the headline.
Two well separated dorsal fins are present, with the anterior one being composed
of 7 to 8 (9) slender rays, whilst the posterior fin is made up of branched
rays. The anal fin sits below the second dorsal fin, and has a slightly
longer base.It has two thin anterior spines, followed by 13 to 16 branched
rays. The caudal fin shows a degree of forking. The body scales are small
but firmly attached, with some 53 to 57 scales between the pectoral fin base
and the tail fin.
Colouration of the back and upper sides are a translucent green with black
specks on the scale edges, with an intense broad silvery band across the
sides, that passes into the white of the belly.
Breeding:
Spawns from May into July, with some
spawning taking place in large intertidal pools, whilst most occurs in coastal
lagoons.
Habitat:
This common inshore fish is associated with estuaries, unpolluted harbours
and saline lagoons, tending to be found over sandy or muddy bottoms,
down to 20m or so. Juveniles are often found in rock intertidal pools, swimming
in closely packed shoals. Adults may often be observed at night, at the surface,
almost hanging motionless facing in the direction of the tidal
current.
Food:
Probably small fish and crustaceans.
Range:
Common in the southern North
Sea and English Channel, less so further north.
Additional Notes:
Big-Scaled Sand-smelt (Boyer's Sand
Smelt): Atherina boyeri = A. mochon
Only reported from a few low salinity habitats, lagoons and warm water enclosed
docks.
Same as A.presbyter, except that the eyes are larger, the lateral
line has 44 to 48 scales running it's length, has 40 to 47 vertebrae,
and has a max. size of 13cm.
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