Anchovia clupeoides (Swainson, 1839)
Zabaleta anchovy
Anchovia clupeoides
photo by Krumme, U.

Family:  Engraulidae (Anchovies), subfamily: Engraulinae
Max. size:  30 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 50 m, oceanodromous
Distribution:  Western Atlantic: in the Antilles, from Cuba and perhaps throughout; Guatemala south and east to Venezuela and Trinidad, south to just north of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 25-32. Snout short and pointed, tip at about eye center; maxilla moderate, tip pointed and reaching onto pre-operculum (but not beyond), extending beyond second supra-maxilla; sub-operculum with angular hind margin, but not formed into a triangular projection; lower gill rakers increasing in large fishes. Anal fin origin below front few dorsal fin rays. Silver stripe disappearing with age (Ref. 189).
Biology:  Found inshore forming quite large schools and also in estuaries, mangroves and other lagoons, penetrating into almost freshwater (salinities of 4.9-32.25 ppt in Santa Cruz Canal, Pernambuco, Brazil). Feeds by filtering plankton. No data on spawning.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 24 August 2012 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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