Fish Identification Photos: Scofield’s Anchovy, Anchoa scofieldi: The Scofield’s Anchovy is characterized by a moderately elongated, strongly compressed body and a short snout with a pointed tip that is less than the diameter of its eyes.

Unfortunately a positive identification is only possible by counting the gill rakers (12–14) and the anal fin rays (21–25). The Scofield’s Anchovy has an anal fin base of medium length that originates in the middle of the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin originates midbody. It has short pectoral fins.

A key identification characteristic of the Scofield’s Anchovy is the broad silver stripe along the flank that is approximately the width of the diameter of the eyes.

The Scofield’s Anchovy reaches a maximum length of 3 inches and is normally found in the first 30 feet of the water column. This species can easily be confused with the Longnose Anchovy, Anchoa nasus (long snout, anal fin origin under end of dorsal fin, 21–28 gill rakers), and Short Anchovy, Anchoa curta (21–26 gill rakers; silver stripe one-half eye diameter).

The range of Scofield’s Anchovy in Mexican waters is thought to be limited to the coast of the mainland from Mazatlan south to Guatemala, making the collection cited below a significant range extension.

Scofield’s Anchovy is a member of the Engraulidae Family of anchovies.

Scofield’s Anchovy, Anchoa scofieldi: Caught in the surf zone, La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico, water temperature 84 degrees, in October 2007, early morning in 5 to 10 foot deep water, utilizing a cast net by panguero bait salesmen. Size, 5 inches. This collection again documents a significant range extension for this species. Identification courtesy of H.J. Walker, Jr., Scripps Institute of Oceanography, La Jolla, Calif. Photo and description courtesy of John Snow. Scofield’s Anchovy, Anchoa scofieldi: Caught in the surf zone, La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico, in February 2007, water temperature 71 degrees, early morning in water 5 to 10 feet deep, utilizing a cast net by panguero bait salesmen. Size approximately 2.5 inches. Fish identification courtesy of H.J. Walker, Jr., Scripps Institute of Oceanography, La Jolla, Calif. Description and photo courtesy of John Snow.