332 Northern, Tide-Water Silversides 



Northern Silverside 

 Menidia menidia (Linnaeus) 



Color: Greenish above, silvery on sides and below; sides 

 have a dark silvery band bounded above by a narrow black 

 line. Scales on upper part of sides and back have many 

 dark brown dots. 



Distribution: Occurs from Nova Scotia to Chesapeake Bay, 

 where it mixes with the southern silverside, a closely 

 related form. 



Size: Reaches a length of 6 inches. 



General Information: The Northern Silverside is found in 

 salt and brackish waters in protected bays, coves, and 

 river mouths, usually on sand or gravel bottoms. It occurs 

 in schools and is one of the most abundant species of our 

 small fishes. It is particularly numerous in the channels 

 running through salt marshes, where large schools may 

 often be seen swimming near the surface of the shallow 

 water. Spawning takes place from April to August and 

 the eggs, like those of the tide-water silverside below, have 

 sticky threads on their surfaces with which they adhere 

 to various objects on the bottom and to each other. The 

 food of the Northern Silverside consists of a wide variety 

 of small aquatic animals and plants. 



Economic Importance: A good food fish but marketed for 

 such purpose in only limited quantities. It is used exten- 

 sively in our recreational fisheries as a bait. 



Tide-Water Silverside 

 Menidia beryllina (Cope) 



