Common Name: Topsmelt
Scientific Name: Atherinops affinis
Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family: Animalia, Chordata, Actinopterygii, Atheriniformes, Atherinopsidae
Diet: Algae, zooplankton, detritus, small crustaceans, small fish
Habitat: Marine, brackish waters, ~26 meter depths, bays, muddy areas, kelp beds, and estuaries
Range: Vancouver Island (Canada) to Gulf of California
Identification: Silver with yellow blotches on its sides, anal fin begins below first dorsal fin
Reproduction: Oviparous (egg-laying), deposits eggs in prepared nest on the bottom, 200-1000 eggs. Topsmelt spawn within eelgrass beds
Behavior: Swim in large schools
Predators: Barred sand bass, California halibut, staghorn sculpin, kelp bass, leopard sharks, and other large fish, seabirds, dolphins, sea lions, and harbor seals