Red Sea Hardyhead Silverside (Atherinomorus forskalii)

Image source: Roberto Pillon | inaturalist.org
General data
- Main name: Red Sea Hardyhead Silverside
- Climates: Tropical, Subtropical
- Habitat: Saltwater
- Native: Africa, Asia
- Introduced: Europe
- Distribution: Mediterranean Sea, Indian ocean, Red sea
Classification
- Genus: Atherinomorus - Atherinomorus
- Family: Atherinidae - Old World silverside
- Order: Atheriniformes - Silversides
- Class: Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes
- Superclass: Osteichthyes - Bony fishes
Description
Western Indian Ocean: endemic to the Red Sea and has invaded the eastern Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. Max length: 13.3 cm SL Dorsal spines (total): 5 - 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8 - 10; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 11 - 15; Vertebrae: 40 - 44. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: lateral process of premaxilla very low and wide; upper margin of dentary almost flat distally, no distinct tubercle at the posterior end; posterior tip of the upper jaw reaching to or exceeding a vertical through anterior margin of the pupil, and not reaching to a vertical through center of the pupil; teeth on endopterygoids large, forming distinct ridges; anus located around posterior tip of the pelvic fin; lower gill rakers 20-23; midlateral scale count 39-43; lower margin of midlateral band reaching to or just below ventral end of the midlateral (third) scale row at the level of the anal fin origin.