Fish
Lookdown
Selene vomerAlso known as Moonfish, Horsehead, Lookdown Jack
Lookdowns patrol shallow coastal flats and estuaries in shimmering schools, using their extremely compressed, mirror-like bodies to blend into sunlit waters. Their steep, high head profile and low-set eyes give them their comical downturned gaze, an adaptation that allows them to scan the sandy seabed for burrowing prey. Juveniles sport dramatic trailing fin filaments that mimic drifting debris or jellyfish tentacles, slowly receding as the fish reach maturity.
CoastalSilverySchooling
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preySmall crabs, Mysid shrimp, Silversides
Predators
- Great Barracuda
- Blacktip Shark
- Common Snook
ThreatsCoastal development, runoff pollution, incidental commercial bycatch
HabitatsCoastal shallows, sandy bottoms, bays, estuaries, mangrove fringes
Life span7–10 years
Classification
- OrderPerciformes
- FamilyCarangidae
- GenusSelene
- SpeciesSelene vomer
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Snorkeling: Look around bridge pilings, jetties, and sandy channels where small schools cruise.
- Lighting: Watch for silver flashes as their flat bodies catch sunlight while turning.
Image unavailableSame Genus 
Close Relative (c) Pauline Walsh Jacobson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Same Family (c) Leah Fulton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Same Family no rights reserved · cc0
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