Tidewater silverside
The Tidewater silverside is a small fish species, scientifically classified as Menidia peninsulae, that primarily inhabits tidal seawater environments such as tidal creeks, marshes, and brackish waters. Unlike its relative, the inland silverside, which lives in freshwater streams and rivers, the Tidewater silverside is adapted to coastal ecosystems along the northeastern Florida coast and the northern Gulf of Mexico, extending down to northern Veracruz, Mexico. Characterized by their elongated, thin bodies, they typically grow to about seven inches in length and possess distinct greenish scales with a silvery band along their sides.
Tidewater silversides are omnivorous, feeding primarily on zooplankton, shrimp, crabs, and algae. They play an important role in the food chain, serving as prey for larger fish and shorebirds, and are also used as bait by anglers seeking larger game fish. Their reproductive strategy is oviparous, with females laying eggs in large masses multiple times a year. Generally, these fish have a life span of one to two years and are not considered a threatened species, contributing to the health of their aquatic habitats.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Tidewater silverside
Tidewater silversides are very similar to inland silversides. The main difference being their locations. Tidewater silversides always live in tidal seawater, unlike inland silversides, which inhabit inland rivers and streams. These two species of silversides are also different in the locations of their dorsal, or back, fins. The fins of tidewater silversides are slightly farther apart than those of inland silversides.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Atheriniformes
Family: Atherinopsidae
Genus: Menidia
Species: Peninsulae
Tidewater silversides begin their lives as small, shy, antisocial fry, or young fish. They spend their first few days darting away from their many brothers and sisters. As they grow, they slowly develop their social skills and lose some of their shyness. Eventually, when they are about 3/4 of an inch (one centimeter) long, they begin gathering together in schools, or groups, much like full-grown tidewater silversides.
Tidewater silversides generally grow to be about seven inches (18 1/3 centimeters) long. Although they are basically long and thin, their bodies are much fuller than those of many other silversides. Both their backs and their bellies are rounded, and their caudal, or tail, fins are larger than those of most silversides. Like other silversides, tidewater silversides have two short, spiny dorsal fins. These fins help them to keep their balance as they swim. Along their sides, tidewater silversides have a pair of pectoral fins, one positioned on each side directly above their gills. Pectoral fins help tidewater silversides paddle through the water. On their bellies, tidewater silversides have more fins. This is where their pelvic fins and anal fins are located. All of the tidewater silversides' fins help propel them through their watery surroundings.
Tidewater silversides have greenish scales along their backs and paler scales on their bellies. Each of their sides is marked with a silvery band, for which they are named. Like other silversides, tidewater silversides are noted for their large, round eyes.
Like many other fish, tidewater silversides need oxygen to survive. Since they do not have lungs, they cannot breathe oxygen from air like humans. Instead, tidewater silversides have to take in oxygen from the water in which they live. They take water into their mouths, use the oxygen they need, and release the waste chemicals through their gills.
Tidewater silversides inhabit tidal creeks and marshes, brackish waters where freshwater bodies meet the sea, and ocean waters. They may be found in the waters surrounding northeastern Florida and the northern Gulf of Mexico as well as the waters from southern Florida to northern Veracruz, but they are not found around the coastal areas of Louisiana and Texas. Although tidewater silversides are very similar to inland silversides, they do not inhabit inland streams and rivers.
Like other omnivores, tidewater silversides survive on a diet of both plants and animals. They eat zooplankton, shrimp, crabs, and algae. Although they may eat some plants, they are largely meat-eating.
Tidewater silversides are food for many other aquatic, or water-living, creatures such as larger fish and shorebirds. Humans use them, as well as many other species of silversides, as bait to catch larger fish.
Tidewater silversides are oviparous, meaning their young hatch from eggs outside of their body. This happens several times a year and large masses are released each time.
The life span of tidewater silversides is between one and two years. They are not a threatened species.
Bibliography
O'Connor, Rick. “Silverside Minnows of the Florida Panhandle - UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County.” UF/IFAS Blogs, 3 Feb. 2022, blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2022/02/03/silverside-minnows-of-the-florida-panhandle. Accessed 13 May 2024.
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. “Shorefishes - The Fishes.” Shorefishes - The Fishes - Species, 2023, biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/thefishes/species/3251. Accessed 13 May 2024.