Wide-banded hardyhead silverside (Atherinomorus lacunosus)

Image source: Nico K. Michiels | inaturalist.org

General data

Main name: Wide-banded hardyhead silverside
Local names: Broad-banded hardyhead, Broad-banded silverside, Capricorn hardyhead, Pitted hardyhead, Robust hardyhead, Robust silverside, Slender hardyhead, Wide-banded hardyhead silverside
Climates: Tropical, Subtropical
Habitat: Saltwater
Native: Africa, Asia, Australia & Oceania
Introduced: Europe

Classification

Genus: Atherinomorus - Atherinomorus
Family: Atherinidae - Old World silverside
Order: Atheriniformes - Silversides
Class: Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes
Superclass: Osteichthyes - Bony fishes

Description

The hardyhead silverside occurs in the Indo-Pacific near the surface as well as in the Mediterranean, having invaded as a Lessepsian migrant through the Suez Canal. The hardyhead silverside is a robust, broad headed, small fish which is distinguished by having a very low and wide lateral process of premaxilla with the upper margin of the anterior bone of the lower jaw which bears the teeth is almost flat distally and has no distinct tubercle at its posterior end. The posterior of the jaw reaches at least as far as the vertical through anterior margin of the pupil. The mouth has small teeth on palate which do not form obvious ridges. The anus is usually behind but close to the posterior tip of the pelvic fin. There are 18–24 lower gill rakers and the midlateral scale count is 40–44. The lower edge of the midlateral band reaches below the ventral end of the third scale row and nearly extends to the center of the fourth scale row where it is level with the origin of the anal fin. The dorsal fin has 5–8 spines and 9–10 soft rays while the anal fin has 1 spine and 12–17 soft rays and it has 43–44 vertebrae. They can grow up to 14 cm but are more usually in the range 10–12 cm. Freshly caught specimens are overall silvery in colour, tending to greenish on the dorsal area but with a bright blue strip along the flank, dusky fins and a translucent appearance when seen live in the water. The hardyhead silverside has an Indo-Pacific distribution which extends from the eastern coasts of Africa east to Tonga, north as far as southern Japan, and south to northern Australia; it appears to be absent in the Andaman Sea and to be replaced by Atherinomorus insularum in Hawaii. It was the second species of Red Sea, following Pampus argenteus, to be recorded in the Mediterranean Sea following the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, being reported by Tillier in 1902 and had spread north westwards as far as Greece.

Taxonomy of Fishes

Osteichthyes - Bony fishes->
- Coelacanthi - Lobe-finned fishes->
- Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes->
  - Perciformes - Perches->
  - Cypriniformes - Carps->
  - Esociformes - Pikes->
  - Salmoniformes - Salmons and Trouts->
  - Siluriformes - Catfishes->
  - Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes->
  - Gasterosteiformes - Sticklebacks->
  - Gadiformes - Cods->
  - Anguilliformes - Eels and morays->
  - Clupeiformes - Herrings->
  - Syngnathiformes - Pipefishes and Seahorses->
  - Gobiiformes - Gobies->
  - Mugiliformes - Mullets->
  - Carangiformes - Jacks->
  - Beloniformes - Needlefishes->
  - Labriformes - Wrasses->
  - Scombriformes - Mackerels->
  - Mulliformes - Goatfishes->
  - Pleuronectiformes - Flatfishes->
  - Aulopiformes - Grinners->
  - Blenniiformes - Blennies->
  - Cyprinodontiformes - Toothcarps->
  - Osmeriformes - Smelts->
  - Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes->
  - Cichliformes - Cichlids->
  - Characiformes - Characins->
  - Osteoglossiformes - Bony tongues->
  - Elopiformes - Tarpons and tenpounders->
  - Anabantiformes - Gouramies and snakeheads->
  - Gymnotiformes - South American knifefish->
  - Istiophoriformes - Barracudas->
  - Albuliformes - Bonefishes->
  - Lepidogalaxiiformes - Salamanderfishes->
  - Lophiiformes - Anglerfishes->
  - Spariformes - Breams and porgies->
  - Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes->
  - Moroniformes - Temperate basses->
  - Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes->
  - Zeiformes - Dories->
  - Tetraodontiformes - Puffers and filefishes->
  - Holocentriformes - Squirrelfishes->
  - Dactylopteriformes - Flying gurnards->
  - Lampriformes - Lamprids->
  - Galaxiiformes - Southern smelts->
  - Batrachoidiformes - Toadfishes->
  - Hiodontiformes - Mooneyes->
  - Percopsiformes - Trout-perches->
  - Callionymiformes - Dragonets->
  - Atheriniformes - Silversides->
    
    Melanotaeniidae - Rainbowfishes->
    
    Atherinidae - Old World silverside->
    
    Atherina - Smelts->
    
    Alepidomus - Alepidomus->
    
    Atherinason - Atherinason->
    
    Atherinomorus - Atherinomorus->
    
    Eendracht Land silverside (Atherinomorus endrachtensis)
    
    Red Sea Hardyhead Silverside (Atherinomorus forskalii)
    
    Hawaiian Islands silverside (Atherinomorus insularum)
    
    Wide-banded hardyhead silverside (Atherinomorus lacunosus)
    
    Lined silverside (Atherinomorus lineatus)
    
    Narrow-banded hardyhead silverside (Atherinomorus pinguis)
    
    Culion silverside (Atherinomorus regina)
    
    Hardhead silverside (Atherinomorus stipes)
    
    Ogilby’s hardyhead (Atherinomorus vaigiensis)
    
    Atherinosoma - Atherinosoma->
    
    Bleheratherina - Bleheratherina->
    
    Craterocephalus - Craterocephalus->
    
    Doboatherina - Doboatherina->
    
    Hypoatherina - Hypoatherina->
    
    Kestratherina - Kestratherina->
    
    Leptatherina - Leptatherina->
    
    Sashatherina - Sashatherina->
    
    Stenatherina - Stenatherina->
    
    Teramulus - Teramulus->
    
    Atherinopsidae - Neotropical silversides->
    
    Atherionidae - Pricklenose silversides->
    
    Bedotiidae - Madagascar rainbowfishes->
    
    Dentatherinidae - Tusked silversides->
    
    Isonidae - Isonids->
    
    Notocheiridae - Surf sardines->
    
    Phallostethidae - Priapiumfishes->
    
    Pseudomugilidae - Blue eyes->
    
    Telmatherinidae - Sailfin silversides->
    
    ToBeUsed - ToBeUsed->
  - Notacanthiformes - Spiny eels->
  - Saccopharyngiformes - Swallowers and Gulpers->
  - Alepocephaliformes - Slickheads and tubeshoulders->
  - Gonorynchiformes - Milkfishes->
  - Argentiniformes - Marine smelts->
  - Stomiiformes - Lightfishes and dragonfishes->
  - Ateleopodiformes - Jellynose fishes->
  - Myctophiformes - Lanternfishes->
  - Stylephoriformes - Tube-eyes->
  - Polymixiiformes - Beardfishes->
  - Beryciformes - Sawbellies->
  - Trachichthyiformes - Rughies->
  - Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels->
  - Kurtiformes - Nurseryfishes & Cardinalfishes->
  - Synbranchiformes - Swamp eels->
  - Gobiesociformes - Clingfishes->
  - Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses->
- Cladistii - Bichirs->
- Dipneusti - Lungfishes->
- Chondrostei - Sturgeons->
- Holostei - Gars and Bowfins->
Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes->
Agnatha - Jawless fishes->