Yellow fin mojarra (Gerres cinereus)

Image source: Kevin Bryant | Flick.com
General data
- Main name: Yellow fin mojarra
- Climates: Tropical, Subtropical
- Habitat: Amfidromous
- Native: North America, South America
- Distribution: Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea
Classification
- Genus: Gerres - Gerres
- Family: Gerreidae - Mojarras
- Order: Perciformes - Perches
- Class: Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes
- Superclass: Osteichthyes - Bony fishes
Description
Western Atlantic: Bermuda and Florida, USA; Bahamas, northern Gulf of Mexico, around Caribbean, including Antilles and south American coast to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Max length: 41 cm TL, max weight: 530 g Inhabits shallow coastal waters in open sandy and surf areas, seagrass beds, near reefs, and mangrove channels. Enters brackish water, sometimes even fresh water. May occur in small aggregations. Feeds on benthic invertebrates such as worms, clams, crustaceans; also feeds on insects. Often seen feeding in sand patches among reefs by thrusting its mouth into the sediment and expelling sand from the gill openings.