Mooneye Hiodon tergisus
This species was found at 6 bioassessment sites, 0 rapid fish bioassessment sites, 4 fisheries assessment sites, and 0 fisheries presence-only assessment sites. In total, it was collected at 10 distinct sites, or 0.7% of the 1513 total sites monitored by the bioassessment program. It is the 102nd most commonly collected species.
The Mooneye was collected in 9 bioassessment sampling sessions and 4 fisheries assessment sessions. It was present in 0 rapid bioassessment sessions and 0 presence-only sessions.
The biological assessment program has collected a total of 156 individual Mooneye specimens, ranking it the #89 most collected fish.
Mooneyes have deep bodies that are strongly compressed laterally. Color varies from steel blue on the back to silver sides and a white belly. The eye has a silvery iris. The belly has a fleshy keel, but lacks scutes. The head is blunt and rounded with a slightly oblique mouth. Teeth are in both jaws, as well as on the roof of the mouth and on the tongue. There are 15 to 17 gill rakers along the lower limb of the first gill arch. The fish has adipose eyelids. Scales are cycloid and the lateral line has 52 to 57 scales. The dorsal fin has 10 to 14 rays and inserts in front of the anal fin, which has 26 to 29 rays. Males have a sickle-shaped anal fin, and in females it is bowl-shaped. An axillary process is found near the base of the pelvic fin. Anglers often mistaken this fish as a Gizzard Shad.
HUC12 watersheds where this species has been found