Anchoa mitchilli | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Clupeiformes |
Family: | Engraulidae |
Genus: | Anchoa |
Species: | A. mitchilli
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Binomial name | |
Anchoa mitchilli (
Valenciennes, 1848)
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Synonyms | |
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Anchoa mitchilli is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Engraulidae, the anchovies. Its common names include bay anchovy and common anchovy. [1] It is native to the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. [1] It is one of the most common fish species along the coastlines of the western Atlantic. [2]
The fish is named in honor of Samuel Latham Mitchill (1764–1831), naturalist, physician and U.S. Senator, who studied the fishes of New York. [3]
The bay anchovy is somewhat variable in appearance. [4] It is a small, slender, schooling fish with a greenish body and a silvery stripe. It is characterized by its very long jaw, silvery belly, lateral stripe, and single dorsal fin. The dorsal fin is located directly above the anal fin origin. [5] The adult male is generally about 6 centimeters long, with a maximum length of 10 [4] to 11 centimeters. [1] It has 14 to 16 rays in its dorsal fin, 24 to 30 in its anal fin, and 11 to 12 in the pectoral. [6] It may live more than three years. [1]
The bay anchovy is similar to other species in the genus Anchoa which occur in the same regions. The broad-striped anchovy is similar in appearance but grows to a larger size, up to 15 centimeters. The Cuban anchovy has its anal fin set farther back on the body. [6]
This species is distributed in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico along the eastern coasts of North America from Maine to Yucatán. [6] It does not occur in the West Indies. [4] It is well known in the Chesapeake Bay, where it is the most abundant fish. [7]
It occurs in a wide range of water temperatures and salinities, including some hypersaline environments. [6] It does not tolerate low-oxygen waters and easily asphyxiates when deprived of oxygen. [6]
This fish spends most of its time cruising the water column. It can also be found over bare substrates at the ocean floor and in tide pools and surf zones. [6] It can live in muddy, brackish waters. [4] It rarely enters waters deeper than 25 meters. [1]
This fish feeds on zooplankton, including copepods, mysids, and crab larvae. [6]
It is in turn an important prey item for a variety of larger fish, including weakfish (Cynoscion regalis), striped bass (Morone saxatilis), chain pickerel (Esox niger), and bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix). [6] Birds such as royal terns (Thalasseus maximus) and Sandwich terns (T. sandvicensis) feed on it. [6]
This species is an important link in the food web in many ecosystems. It is a major pathway by which zooplankton biomass is converted to the biomass of larger fish. [1]
The bay anchovy is sexually mature when it reaches about 4 centimeters in length. It spawns in the water column in shallow and deeper waters. In the southern part of its range it spawns year-round, and farther north it breeds during the warmer months. [6] A female can spawn 50 times in one season, producing over 1000 eggs each time. Eggs hatch in 24 hours. [7] Larvae mature in about 45 days. Their growth rates are variable and may depend on the availability of food. [6]
This species is made into anchovy paste and is used as a bait fish. [1] It is harvested as a rough fish and used for fish oil and fish paste. [6]
This fish is not of conservation concern. It has an extensive range, a large and stable population made up of many subpopulations, and no major threats. [1]