THE SILVERSIDES 



Family XXV. Atherinidce 



THE silversides are interesting carnivorous fishes, mostly of 

 small size, living in great schools near the shore in temperate and 

 tropical seas; a few species in fresh water; all the species having 

 a silvery band along the side, this sometimes underlaid by black 

 pigment. Genera about 15; species about 70. All of them which 

 are large enough are highly prized as food, hence the common 

 name "fishes of the king," pescados del rey, pesce re, or peixe 

 rey. 



The majority of the species, however, are too small and 

 unimportant to merit more than a brief mention. The principal 

 genera are Atherina, Chirostoma, Menidia, Eslopsarum and 

 Labidesthes. 



Atherina contains numerous species 5 or 6 of which are found 

 in our waters. A. laticeps, found abundantly at Key West, is the 

 most important species. 



The genus Chirostoma is represented in the fresh waters of 

 Mexico by several species, the most important of which is the 



pescado bianco de chalco ( C. humboldtianum), which is found in the 

 lakes about the City of Mexico and is an important food-fish. 



Its flesh is coarser and firmer than in the more transparent mem- 

 bers of the family which are called pescado bianco. 



