FISHES OF THE GULF OF MAINE 235 



90. Moonfish ( Vomer setapinnis Mitchill) 

 Shiner; Horsefish; Bluntnose; Dollaiuish 

 Jordan and Evermann, 1896-1900, p. 934. 



Description. — The very deep, compressed, sharp-edged body of the moonfish 

 (adidts are only about twice as long as deep, and young fry even deeper, relatively) , 

 tapering to the usual slender caudal peduncle, and the concave profile of its head, 

 separate it at a glance from pilotfish, scad, crevalle, hardtail, or yellowtail (Chloro- 

 scombrus chrysurus), and the very low dorsal and anal fins obviate any danger of 

 confusing it with the lookdown (p. 236) , which is of something the same shape 

 (compare fig. 110 with fig. 111). The first dorsal of the adult moonfish is reduced 

 to four very short, inconspicuous, detached spines, but in young fry the first two 

 of these are elongate and filamentous. The second dorsal fin (21 to 27 rays) and 

 the anal fin (19 to 20 rays) are about equal in length, both of them very low and 

 tapering very slightly from front to rear. In very small fish the second to fourth 



Fig. 110.— Moonfish ( Vomer tetapinnii) 



rays of the second dorsal are more or less elongate, and the anal is preceded by 3 or 

 4 short detached spines which are not to be seen in the adult. The ventrals are so 

 small that they are apt to be overlooked except in young fry, where the ventral 

 rays, like the dorsal spines, are long and filamentous. The pectorals are falcate, 

 the scales on the lateral line are not large enough to be conspicuous, and the teeth 

 are very small. There are no detached finlets, dorsal or anal. 



Color. — Described as leaden to greenish above with silvery or golden sides and 

 belly, the second dorsal light yellow at its base and punctated with black, and the 

 pectorals dusky greenish. 



Size. — About 1 foot long. 



General range. — Warm seas off the east coast of America from Brazil to Cape 

 Cod, rarely to Nova Scotia; common from Chesapeake Bay southward. 



Occurrence in the Gulf of Maine. — The moonfish reaches the Gulf only as a waif 

 from warmer waters, but it has been taken more often there than any other of its 



