Anchovy Family
(Engraulidae)

Anchovy Family, (Engraulidae): The Engraulidae or Anchovy Family which are small herring-like fishes and known in Mexico as Anchoas.

They are easily distinguishable from the herrings by having larger mouths that extend well behind the eyes and are found on the lower side of the head with an overhanging projecting upper jaw. They have one short dorsal fin near the mid-body, pectoral fins that are low on the body and pelvic fins that are well behind the pectoral fins and they originate before or under the dorsal fin base.

Globally there are 141 known anchovy species in 17 genera of which 18 species from 5 genera live in Mexican waters of the Pacific.

They are pelagic silvery fishes that form huge, tight-knit schools within 20 miles of the coast in all oceans between 60 degrees north and 50 degrees south latitude. They are the most abundant of the schooling pelagic fishes and an important food source for predatory fishes, birds and mammals.

The Engraulidae are herring-like fishes that have elongated rounded bodies with prominent pointed shark-like snouts that project beyond the tip of the lower jaw. The rear of their mouths extend well beyond the eye. They have no canine teeth and a silver stripe along their flanks. They have one dorsal fin that originates at mid-body and their pelvic fins are found on the belly.

They feed on planktonic organisms and crustaceans. Global annual catches of anchovies by net are in excess of 10,000,000 tons per annum, which are used fresh, frozen, or canned for human and pet food consumption.

Members of the Engraulidae Family represented in the photo identification section of this website include:

Northern Anchovy or California Anchovy, Engraulis mordax.
Pacific Anchovetta, Cetengraulis mysticetus
Scofield’s Anchovy, Anchoa scofieldi.
Sharpnose Anchovy or Slender Anchovy, Anchoa ischana.
Silverstripe Anchovy, Anchoa argentivittata.

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