WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Big-scale Sand Smelt

Atherina boyeri

Also known as: Black Sea Sand Smelt, Boyer's Sand Smelt, Sand Smelt

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2024
Adult
@ophish · Israel, Australia · June 20171 / 1
01

Overview

Found in very large schools, over brackish coastal waters, in estuaries and slow flowing freshwater lakes and rivers.

These fish are common on shorelines, important food for larger fish species although no commercial value.

02

How to identify

Behaviour
schooling

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03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean, Black Sea
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found in very large schools, over brackish coastal waters, in estuaries and slow flowing freshwater lakes and rivers.

04

Adult photos 1

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderAtheriniformes
    5. familyAtherinidae
    6. genusAtherina
    7. speciesAtherina boyeri Risso, 1810

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Silversides (Atherinidae)