PHYLUM:
Chordata; CLASS: Osteichthyes; SUPERORDER: Teleostei
FAMILY:
Atherinidae
GENUS:
Labidesthes SPECIES: sicculus DESCRIBER:
(Cope)
Position
of Labidesthes
sicculus in
worldwide arrangement of fish species.
What
are BROOK
SILVERSIDES?
Brook
Silversides are slender, elongate 76 mm (3 in) in length,
slightly laterally compressed, minnow-like fishes of
the family Atherinidae. Their heads are flattened above
with a body coloration of pale green or olive and rather
transparent bodies. They are found throughout the freshwaters
of central North America in clear, weedy lakes. Brook
Silversides are
adapted for living at the water's surface and eat
mainly daphnids, small flying insects and midge larvae.
EARLY
LIFE HISTORY of BROOK
SILVERSIDES:
Spawning Season of Adult BROOK SILVERSIDES: Spring
to early summer, May to July at temperatures of 20° to 23°.
Where BROOK SILVERSIDE Eggs are Found: Eggs
of BROOK SILVERSIDES are found in shallow water
along shores of rivers, streams and lakes in water
less than 1 meter deep. Eggs are attached by adhesive
threads to aquatic plants, rocks, stones and even
sand.
Characteristics
of Eggs: Demersal, non-adhesive, orange-colored,
numerous oil globules with diameters of 0.1 to 0.5
mm, with one-three adhesive threads attached, diameter
eggs 0.8 to 1.4 mm.
Size
of Babies at Hatching: ca.
4 mm at 8 to 9 days of incubation.
Movements of BROOK SILVESIDE Babies after hatching: Baby
BROOK SILVERSIDES hatch in shallow water and swim
away from shore going into deeper water. It is not
known if they school or do not school at this age
because only single specimens were caught with fine-mesh
townets. However, the flattened heads of brook silversides
are adapted for living right at the surface of the
water, so the nets probably missed them because
they were kept at a depth of ca. 0.5 m below the
water surface.
