''Menidia'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

Neotropical silversides The Neotropical silversides are a family, Atherinopsidae, of fishes in the order Atheriniformes. About 112 species in 13 genera are distributed throughout the tropical and temperate waters of the New World, including both marine and freshwa ...

native to freshwater,

brackish Brackish water, sometimes termed brack water, is water occurring in a natural environment that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing seawater (salt water) and fresh water together, as in estuari ...

and marine habitats along the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

and

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United S ...

coasts of North America, ranging from the

Gulf of Saint Lawrence , image = Baie de la Tour.jpg , alt = , caption = Gulf of St. Lawrence from Anticosti National Park, Quebec , image_bathymetry = Golfe Saint-Laurent Depths fr.svg , alt_bathymetry = Bathymetry ...

in Canada to the

Yucatán Peninsula The Yucatán Peninsula (, also , ; es, Península de Yucatán ) is a large peninsula in southeastern Mexico and adjacent portions of Belize and Guatemala. The peninsula extends towards the northeast, separating the Gulf of Mexico to the north ...

in Mexico. The species ''M. clarkhubbsi'', an all-female species, reproduces asexually.

Species

There are currently eight recognized species in this genus: *'' Menidia audens''

Hay Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticate ...

, 1882 (Mississippi silverside) * '' Menidia beryllina'' (

Cope The cope (known in Latin as ''pluviale'' 'rain coat' or ''cappa'' 'cape') is a liturgical vestment, more precisely a long mantle or cloak, open in front and fastened at the breast with a band or clasp. It may be of any liturgical colours, litu ...

, 1867) (Inland silverside) * ''

Menidia clarkhubbsi ''Menidia'' is a genus of Neotropical silversides native to freshwater, brackish and marine habitats along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of North America, ranging from the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in Canada to the Yucatán Peninsula in Me ...

'' A. A. Echelle & Mosier, 1982 (Texas silverside) * ''

Menidia colei ''Menidia'' is a genus of Neotropical silversides native to freshwater, brackish and marine habitats along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of North America, ranging from the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in Canada to the Yucatán Peninsula in Me ...

'' C. L. Hubbs, 1936 (Golden silverside) * ''

Menidia conchorum The Key silverside (''Menidia conchorum'') is a species of fish in the family Atherinopsidae. It is endemic to the Florida Keys. The Key silverside is a distinct and unique species, endemic to the Florida Keys, proven morphologically and geneti ...

Hildebrand Hildebrand is a character from Germanic heroic legend. ''Hildebrand'' is the modern German form of the name: in Old High German it is ''Hiltibrant'' and in Old Norse ''Hildibrandr''. The word ''hild'' means "battle" and ''brand'' means "sword". ...

& Ginsburg, 1927 (Key silverside) * ''

Menidia extensa The Waccamaw silverside (''Menidia extensa'') is a rare species of fish in the family Atherinopsidae. It is a federally listed threatened species of the United States. Description This is a small (growing to about 2.5 inches), slim, almost ...

'' C. L. Hubbs &

Raney Raney is a surname, and may refer to: * Albert Raney, Sr. (contemporary), developer of Mystic Caverns in Arkansas, USA * Catherine Raney (born 1980), American Olympic speed skater * Chad Raney (born 1970), American entrepreneur; founder of Lone Sta ...

, 1946 (Waccamaw silverside) * '' Menidia menidia'' (

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, t ...

, 1766) (Atlantic silverside) * ''

Menidia peninsulae ''Menidia'' is a genus of Neotropical silversides native to freshwater, brackish and marine habitats along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of North America, ranging from the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in Canada to the Yucatán Peninsula in Me ...

'' ( Goode & T. H. Bean, 1879) (Tidewater silverside)

References

* * Echelle, Anthony A. and Doyle T. Mosier
"Menidia clarkhubbsi, n. sp. (Pisces: Atherinidae), an All-Female Species."
''Copeia'', Vol. 1982, No. 3 (Aug. 10, 1982), pp. 533–540 Extant Pliocene first appearances Ray-finned fish genera Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte {{Atheriniformes-stub