The Anchovies (Engraulidae): The Engraulidae or Anchovy Family 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 lack scutes on the belly. They feed on planktonic organisms and crustaceans. Globally 139 species from six genera of Engraulidae are known, of which 17 species from 4 genera are found in Mexican waters. 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: the Northern Anchovy or California Anchovy, Engraulis mordax; Scofield’s Anchovy, Anchoa scofieldi ;the Sharpnose Anchovy or Slender Anchovy, Anchoa ischana; and the Silverstripe Anchovy, Anchoa argentivittata.