[1][2] The Hawaiian silverside has two dorsal fins and a prominent lateral stripe, which sets them apart from other baitfish.

They are greenish gray on the back and have a silvery stripe topped by a blue-green line running the length of the body.

[1] They disperse to feed on plankton at the surface at night.

They are a common schooling fish often found near the surface in tidepools and coastal waters.

[1] In ancient Hawaii, these fish were sometimes used to rub the face of a human sacrificial victim to make it shine like the eyes of a maneater shark.