Anchoa curta (Jordan & Gilbert, 1882)
Short anchovy
Anchoa curta
photo by FAO

Family:  Engraulidae (Anchovies), subfamily: Engraulinae
Max. size:  8.9 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic-neritic; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 50 m
Distribution:  Eastern Pacific: central part of the Gulf of California (Rio Yaqui, Mexico) to the Gulf of Guayaquil, Peru.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 19-23. Body moderately elongate, but somewhat compressed. Snout fairly short, about 3/4 eye diameter; maxilla long, tip sharply pointed, reaching almost to edge of gill cover; gill cover canals of walkeri-type. Anal fin moderate, its origin under or a little before midpoint of dorsal fin base. A narrow silver stripe along flank.
Biology:  Pelagic (Ref. 96339). A schooling species occurring in coastal waters, most often in muddy estuaries in fully salt, brackish or apparently freshwater, penetrating only a few kilometers up rivers. Maturing females were caught in January, August and October in the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica, suggesting a protracted spawning season. The eggs are oval. TL = 1.219 SL.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 30 April 2008 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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