Rainbowfishes and Silversides: Atheriniformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Rainbowfishes, Silversides, And People, Conservation Status, California Grunion (leuresthes Tenuis): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET
Rainbowfishes and silversides live all over the world.
Rainbowfishes and silversides live in coastal areas of seas; estuaries (EHS-chew-air-eez), areas where rivers meet the sea; reefs; lagoons, and the surf along beaches. Only a few species live in the open water. Freshwater species live in lakes and streams, rain-forest pools, spring-fed desert waterholes, and mountain lakes.
Rainbowfishes and silversides eat invertebrates, which are animals without backbones; algae; and plankton. Some species eat fish larvae. Algae (AL-jee) are plantlike growths that live in water and have no true roots, stems, or leaves. Plankton are microscopic plants and animals drifting in the water. Larvae (LAR-vee) are animals in an early stage that must change form before becoming adults.
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Silversides are long and narrow from side to side. They have two dorsal (DOOR-suhl) fins, a single anal (AY-nuhl) fin spine, usually smooth scales, and no lateral line. Most are silvery and have a stripe along each side of the body. Male rainbowfishes are brilliantly colored with patterns in shades of red, yellow, orange, blue, and green. The anal and dorsal fins sometimes have threadlike extensio…
Rainbowfishes and silversides form schools of various sizes. Some saltwater silversides form schools numbering in the thousands and cruise just below the surface, constantly feeding on plankton. Some schools are more than 328 feet (100 meters) long and 66 feet (20 meters) wide. At night silversides are attracted to bright lights and are caught easily by fishermen for use as bait. Rainbowfishes and…
Most rainbowfishes and silversides are not eaten by humans. Saltwater silversides are important to commercial fishing because they are an important food source for fishes that people do eat. Silversides that are fished are used as bait or are converted into pet food. Because of their extraordinary colors, rainbowfishes are valued in the aquarium business. Most of the rainbowfishes sold in pet stor…
The World Conservation Union (IUCN) lists one species of rainbowfishes and silversides as Extinct, six species as Critically Endangered, five as Endangered, thirty-one as Vulnerable, and eight as Near Threatened. Extinct means no longer in existence. Critically Endangered means facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Endangered means facing a very high risk of extinction in the wi…
Physical characteristics: California grunion grow to 7½ inches (19 centimeters). They are long silversides with a prominent silvery band on the sides and bluish green on the back. Geographic range: Grunion live on the coast of North America from Monterey Bay, California, in the United States to the southern part of the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. Habitat: California grunion live in coastal oc…
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