Fish Identification Photos: Pacific Moonfish, Selene peruviana: The Pacific Moonfish has a rectangular, strongly compressed body, with a deep head that has a steep concave forehead-snout profile and a protruding snout.

It has a very short first dorsal fin, short anal and second dorsal fins, very long pectoral fins, and minute pelvic fins. The caudal fin is yellow and deeply forked.

This species can be confused with the Mexican Lookdown, Selene brevoorti (long anal and dorsal fins) and the Mexican Moonfish, Selene orstedii (straight head profile, long anal and dorsal fins).

The Pacific Moonfish is a demersal (near the bottom) species found in the first 150 feet of the water column, over sandy bottoms. The Pacific Moonfish is reported to reach a length of 33 inches, but due to its rarity is deemed to be of limited value. It is a pelagic species found in all Mexican waters except for the extreme northern portions of the Sea of Cortez.

The Pacific Moonfish is one of the most exotic fish in the ocean and is a member of the Carangidae or Jack Family known in Mexico as jureles and pámpanos.

Pacific Moonfish, Selene peruviana: Photo courtesy of John Snow. Pacific Moonfish, Selene peruviana: A rare species that showed up with the purchase of a “scoop of bait” in June 2007. Caught in the surf zone, La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico, early morning in water 5 to 10 feet deep, utilizing a cast net by a panguero bait salesman. Size approximately 12 inches. Description and photo courtesy of John Snow.