Anchoviella brevirostris (Günther, 1868)
Snubnose anchovy
photo by Macieira, R.M.

Family:  Engraulidae (Anchovies), subfamily: Engraulinae
Max. size:  9 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic-neritic; brackish; marine; depth range 1 - 50 m
Distribution:  Western Atlantic: Orinoco River mouth, Venezuela and the Guianas south to Rio Ribeiro do Iguape, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 15-17. Snout short, about 1/2 eye diameter and projecting only slightly beyond lower jaw; maxilla short, tip bluntly rounded, failing to reach pre-operculum by about 1/2 pupil diameter; lower jaw longer than upper, its symphysis almost at tip of snout. Gill cover canals of panamensis-type. Anal fin origin below last part of dorsal fin base. Stripe about 3/4 eye diameter over anal fin (Ref. 188).
Biology:  Occurs in coastal waters, but also in estuaries and into almost freshwater. Ripe or almost ripe individuals were caught in March and May.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 15 November 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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