Scientific Name
Eucinostomus melanopterus

Common Name
Flagfin mojarra

Biology
A coastal species entering estuaries, coastal rivers, and lagoons (Ref. 7352, 4323). Found over sand or mud bottoms (Ref. 3722). Feeds on fish, shrimps, mollusks, zooplankton and detritus (Ref. 28587); including other benthic crustaceans and polychaetes. Forages at daytime in small groups, hovering close to the bottom and either picks off prey on the substrate or digs into it sifting the mouthed sediment through its opercular openings. Its conspicuous black tip on dorsal fin is mimicked by juvenile guianan snooks, Centropomus mexicanus, an example of aggressive mimicry (Ref. 43465). Marketed fresh but not highly esteemed (Ref. 3722).

Classification

Classified By

Bleeker, 1863

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Mojarras (Gerreidae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Atlantic

Distribution

Eastern Atlantic: Mauritania to Angola. Western Atlantic: Bermuda and Florida, USA to Brazil; not found in the Bahamas (Ref. 7251).

Range

32°N - 33°S

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

25 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; amphidromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 25 m (Ref. 2683)

Trophic Level

3.39 s.e. 0.52 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

30.0 cm

Common Length

23.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5005 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (24 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated