Species: Anchoa spinifer, Spicule Anchovy

Anchoa spinifer (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1848)

Spicule Anchovy

Snout prominent, conical, projecting, pointed; rear of the mouth extends well behind the eye; lower jaw suspended below head; upper jaw long, reaching to edge of gill cover, its rear tip pointed; membrane between gill covers not expanded at rear; no large canine teeth; 12-19 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; a small triangular projection on lower margin of gill cover (on suboperculum); pectoral fin reaching beyond pelvic fin origin; dorsal rays 15; anal fin with long base, rays 34-40, origin ~under center of dorsal fin.

Bluish on back, silvery below; small specimens with silver midlateral stripe that disappears with age; caudal fin yellow.

Size: to 26 cm.

Habitat: coastal pelagic; estuaries, lagoons, occasionally in freshwater.

Depth: 0-55 m.

The only anchovy known from both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the Americas; Honduras south to Brazil.