Atherina presbyter

(Cuvier, 1829)

Vernacular names
English : Sand smelt
French : Prêtre

Classification
Class : Teleostei
Order : Atheriniformes
Family : Atherinidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
Elongated and cylindrical body, reaching a maximum length of 20 cm. Fairly large eye. Coloration transparent silvery grey with a bright silvery line, edged with black, running from eye to tail. Back has a slight bluish tinge and black spots.

Range and habitat
Eastern Atlantic from Southern Norway to British Isles, south to Canary Islands, Mauritania and Cape Verde. Also western Mediterranean Sea. Lives on muddy and sandy bottoms, in shallow coastal waters and estuaries.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not Listed
Status : Very common species, not often targeted by fisheries. Population trends need to be studied to assess whether the species could be locally or globally declining in numbers.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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