| Family: |
Engraulidae (Anchovies), subfamily: Engraulinae |
| Max. size: |
11 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
pelagic-neritic; marine; depth range 0 - 50 m |
| Distribution: |
Western Central Atlantic: Beaufort, North Carolina south to Florida (USA); Antilles from Cuba to St. Lucia, also Trinidad, but not recorded at Blanquilla and Los Roques off Venezuela; also occurs off Panama. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-16; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 10-18. Body slightly compressed; snout moderate, about 3/4 eye diameter; maxilla short with bluntly rounded tip, failing to reach pre-operculum by 1/2 pupil diameter; pseudobranch short, about 3/4 eye diameter; panamensis-type gill cover canals. Anal fin origin slightly behind base of last dorsal fin ray. A bright silver stripe along flank, about 3/4 or almost equal to eye, dark bordered above (Ref. 189). Body pale, few melanophores above, row of anal melanophores along anal-fin base. Eye orangish above, top of head with green and gold reflections (Ref. 7251). |
| Biology: |
Occurs in coastal waters, apparently not entering brackish water. Rare in Florida shore seine collections, but 'in great numbers under a night light', perhaps because it may stay some distance from the shore in daytime. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 24 August 2012 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.
