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Maule silverside (Odontesthes mauleanum) — Atherinopsidae

Maule silverside

Odontesthes mauleanum

The Maule silverside (Odontesthes mauleanum) is a freshwater fish of the family Atherinopsidae that grows up to 31 cm.

Length
30.5 cm
Water
Freshwater
Behaviour
Schooling
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Maule silverside is a New World silverside (Atherinopsidae) from fresh and coastal water of central Chile. The species grows to about 25 cm and has a slender, elongate, silvery body with a shiny silver flank band and large eyes. As a schooling fish it swims near the surface of rivers, lakes and coastal lagoons and snaps at insects, larvae, small zooplankton and small fish. It is a valued food fish. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Maule silverside?

The Maule silverside has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Maule silverside live?

The Maule silverside lives in fresh water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Maule silverside get?

The Maule silverside grows to a maximum of about 31 cm.

Is the Maule silverside dangerous to humans?

No, the Maule silverside is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Maule-pejerrey sourced
English name
Maule silverside sourced
Scientific name
Odontesthes mauleanum
Family
Atherinopsidae

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
30.5 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Te vangen met natuurlijk aas of kunstaas, afgestemd op de grootte en het leefgebied van de soort. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Odontesthes

More from the family Atherinopsidae

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