Anchoviella elongata (Meek & Hildebrand, 1923)
Elongate anchovy
photo by FAO

Family:  Engraulidae (Anchovies), subfamily: Engraulinae
Max. size:  15.9 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic-neritic; brackish; marine
Distribution:  Western Central Atlantic: Belize south to Panama and northeastern Colombia.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 18-22. Snout moderate, about 2/3 eye diameter; maxilla relatively long, tip bluntly rounded, reaching to and a little beyond front margin of pre-operculum; gill cover canals of panamensis type. Anal fin fairly long, its origin below about middle of dorsal fin base. A silver stripe along flank, less than eye diameter (Ref. 189). Upper surface of head and back with dusky punctuations: dark spots at base of anal, median dark line posterior to anal (Ref. 37032).
Biology:  Found along beaches and in estuaries, lagoons or other brackish habitats, apparently able to tolerate a wide range of salinities, but perhaps not entering freshwater.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 24 August 2012 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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