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Order : Atheriniformes
Family : ATHERINIDAE
Species : As of 2024, 69 species in 14 genera 
Maximum Length : largest species up to 60 cm

Silversides are a group of small fishes in the family Atherinidae. As of 2024, Fishbase recognises 69 species in 14 genera. The genera with the most species are those of Atherina, Atherinomorus, Doboatherina, Hypoatherina and Craterocephalus.

Silversides occur in large rivers, estuaries and coastal ecosystems throughout the world, in both tropical and temperate regions, however the majority of around 50 or so are restricted to marine ecosystems.

These are small, slender, streamlined fishes with widely separated dorsal fins. Their mouths are small and upwardly turned, which indicates mainly surface feeders. They are silvery or bluish in colour. They feed on zooplankton and small, floating organisms.

Illustrated here is a shoal of silversides, tentatively of the genus Atherinomorus, congregating in shallow, coastal waters at Pangkor Laut, Peninsular Malaysia.

Figs 1 and 2 : A shoal of silversides, tentatively Atherinomorus sp., congregate in calm, near-shore, coastal waters at Pangkor Laut island, Peninsular Malaysia.

Fig 3 : Calm, protected, shallow marine habitat at Pangkor Laut island, Peninsular Malaysia.


Links and references :

Fishbase - Atherinidae

Wikipedia - Old World silversides