Trachinotus baillonii is commonly found in small groups in lagoons and shallow reefs, and its silver coloration makes it almost invisible when swimming above the white sand on sunny days.
Details
§ 01
size
Max. 54 cm
color
Adults silver blue to grey above, silvery white below. Sides with 1-5 small black spots in a longitudinal row on or near lateral line (usually equal or smaller than eye). Spots absent in juveniles. Second dorsal, anal and caudal fins grey to black, lobes usually darkest.
This species is commonly found in surge zones along sandy beaches, often in very shallow waters, and is usually seen in small groups. It feeds on small fish.
distinctive characters
The first dorsal fin has six spines, the second dorsal fin has one spine and twenty to twenty-four rays, and the anal fin has two detached spines followed by one spine and twenty to twenty-four rays. The lower limb of the first gill arch has fifteen to nineteen gill rakers, including rudiments. The body is elongated and oval in shape, and strongly compressed. In larger specimens, the dorsal fin lobe is consistently shorter than the anal fin lobe.