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Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Atheriniformes (Silversides) > Atherinidae (Silversides) > Atherininae
Etymology: Atherina: Greek, atherina, the Greek name for the eperlane; 1770 (Ref. 45335). More on author: Valenciennes.

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; freshwater; brackish; pelagic-neritic. Subtropical, preferred ?; 27°S - 35°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Southeast Atlantic: restricted from Lüderitz, Namibia to northern Natal, South Africa.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m 4.0 range ? - ? cm
Max length : 11.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7248)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 6 - 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 115; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 15 - 18. Body silvery and translucent with a midlateral band; dusky upper surface (Ref. 4125).

Forms schools along the coast and in estuaries, especially during spring (Ref. 3302). Also found in coastal lakes (Ref. 7248). Small individuals filter out small organisms such as phytoplankton and rotifers. Above 3.5 cm TL, it feeds mostly on crustaceans especially amphipods taken from the water column as well as off the bottom. Preyed upon by fishes and birds (Ref. 7248).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Dyer, Brian S. | Collaborators

Skelton, P.H., 1993. A complete guide to the freshwater fishes of southern Africa. Southern Book Publishers. 388 p. (Ref. 7248)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Not Evaluated

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; bait: usually

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Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805): PD₅₀ = 0.5312 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00776 (0.00424 - 0.01421), b=3.14 (2.97 - 3.31), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278): 3.2 ±0.3 se; Based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Resilience (Ref. 69278): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (34 of 100) .

Price category (Ref. 80766): Medium.

Atherina breviceps Valenciennes, 1835