Lycengraulis batesii (Günther, 1868)
Bates' sabretooth anchovy
Lycengraulis batesii
photo by Carvalho Filho, A.

Family:  Engraulidae (Anchovies), subfamily: Engraulinae
Max. size:  30 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic; freshwater; brackish
Distribution:  South America: drainage (Orinoco, as far up as the Rio Manacacias in Colombia, rivers of the Guianas, and Amazon at least as far up as Teffe and the Jutahi River - if specimens were identified correctly - and even as far up as the Ucayali, Huallaga and Moroña Rivers of the upper Amazon).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 26-30. Snout about 3/4 eye diameter, maxilla moderate, tip pointed, reaching almost to or just beyond front margin of pre-operculum. gill rakers short and stumpy. Dorsal fin origin well behind midpoint of body; anal fin origin below first to fourth branched dorsal fin rays. Silver stripe along flank, twice eye diameter at widest, lost in fishes over 10 to 12 cm SL; curve of black dots on operculum (Ref. 189).
Biology:  Occurs far up rivers, but apparently reaches down to river mouths. Carnivorous, feeds on small fishes and probably crustaceans (Ref. 12225). A ripe female of 17.2 cm SL was recorded at Tucupita, Orinoco delta in Venezuela.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 06 March 2017 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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