family Atherinidae

Body rather long, slender, moderately flattened. Mouth protrusible, upwardly directed; small teeth. Two separate dorsal fins; all rays of first and1-2 anterior rays of second dorsal finunsegmented, weakly spiny, the remainingrays segmented; anal fin similar to second dorsal fin; caudal fin forked; pelvic fin abdominal; base of pectoral finplaced high on body. Rather largecycloid scales. No true lateral line,sometimes a row of small pits, one oneach scale. Gillrakers long. No pyloricappendages. Back bluish or greenish,translucent, with small black dotschiefly on rear edge of each scale; belly whitish, often iridescent; a largecharacteristic, brilliant silvery striperunning along flanks from head to tail,often outlined with black.

Schooling fishes near surface inlittoral, brackish and freshwater intropical and temperate seas. Planktonfeeders. Eggs with numerous filaments,attached to seaweed, rocks and sand.