Species: Anchoa cubana, Cuban Anchovy

Anchoa cubana (Poey, 1868)

Cuban Anchovy

Elongate, relatively slender; snout prominent, conical, projecting, pointed, ~3/4 eye; rear of the mouth extends well behind the eye; lower jaw suspended below head; upper jaw long, tip bluntly pointed, reaching beyond edge of preopercle; membrane between gill covers not expanded at rear; no large canine teeth; 24-30 lower gill rakers; top limb 3rd gill arch with 6-7 rakers; patch of gill filaments under gill cover short, not extending onto gill cover; anal fin with short base, 16-21 rays, origin under middle of dorsal base; pectorals short, not reaching pelvics; large scale in axil of pectoral fin almost reaches end of that fin; anus nearer pelvic-fin tips than origin of anal fin.

Side of head silvery; back with irregularly scattered dark dots; width of silver stripe on flank ~pupil diameter.

Size: 10 cm.

Habitat: marine, pelagic and coastal.

Depth: 0-60 m.

North Carolina to Brazil.