Anchoviella perfasciata (Poey, 1860)
Poey's anchovy
photo by FAO

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


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