dcsimg

Diagnostic Description

provided by Fishbase
Body variable, more slender in northern populations. Snout fairly blunt, a little over 1/2 eye diameter; maxilla long, tip pointed, reaching beyond hind border of pre-operculum, almost to gill opening; panamensis-type gill cover canals. Anal fin rays rarely 28, its origin below unbranched dorsal fin rays. Anus nearer to pelvic fin tips than to anal fin origin.
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
FishBase
Recorder
Crispina B. Binohlan
original
visit source
partner site
Fishbase

Life Cycle

provided by Fishbase
Spawn in school (Ref. 205).
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
FishBase
Recorder
Crispina B. Binohlan
original
visit source
partner site
Fishbase

Migration

provided by Fishbase
Amphidromous. Refers to fishes that regularly migrate between freshwater and the sea (in both directions), but not for the purpose of breeding, as in anadromous and catadromous species. Sub-division of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.Characteristic elements in amphidromy are: reproduction in fresh water, passage to sea by newly hatched larvae, a period of feeding and growing at sea usually a few months long, return to fresh water of well-grown juveniles, a further period of feeding and growing in fresh water, followed by reproduction there (Ref. 82692).
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
FishBase
Recorder
Crispina B. Binohlan
original
visit source
partner site
Fishbase

Morphology

provided by Fishbase
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 23 - 31
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
FishBase
Recorder
Crispina B. Binohlan
original
visit source
partner site
Fishbase

Trophic Strategy

provided by Fishbase
Occurs down to about 36 mm, but more commonly in shallow tidal areas with muddy bottoms and brackish waters, euryhaline (virtually fresh to fully saline or even hypersaline); found only in spring and summer in the tidal portion of the Ochlokonee River, Florida. See Ref. 42268.
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
FishBase
Recorder
Crispina B. Binohlan
original
visit source
partner site
Fishbase

Biology

provided by Fishbase
More commonly found in shallow tidal areas with muddy bottoms and brackish waters, tolerating a wide range of salinities (virtually fresh to fully saline or hypersaline). Found only in spring and summer in the tidal portion of the Ochlockonee River, Florida. Feed mostly on Mysis and copepods, also small fishes, gastropods and isopods. Breed off North Carolina from late April to mid-July, perhaps through to August. Used to some extent to make anchovy paste (Ref. 189).
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
FishBase
Recorder
Crispina B. Binohlan
original
visit source
partner site
Fishbase

Importance

provided by Fishbase
fisheries: minor commercial; bait: usually; price category: medium; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
FishBase
Recorder
Crispina B. Binohlan
original
visit source
partner site
Fishbase

Anchoa mitchilli

provided by wikipedia EN

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]

Etymology

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]

Description

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]

Range and habitat

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]

Biology and ecology

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]

Human uses

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]

Conservation

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]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i NatureServe. 2013. Anchoa mitchilli. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013. Downloaded on 13 June 2016.
  2. ^ Newberger, T. A. and E. D. Houde. 1995. Population biology of bay anchovy Anchoa mitchilli in the mid Chesapeake Bay. Marine Ecology Progress Series 116 25-37.
  3. ^ Etyfish Project
  4. ^ a b c d Froese, R. and D. Pauly, Eds. Anchoa mitchilli. FishBase. 2016.
  5. ^ DeLancey, L. Anchoa mitchilli. Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. 2006.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Masterson, J. Anchoa mitchilli. Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce. 2008.
  7. ^ a b Anchoa mitchilli. Field Guide. Chesapeake Bay Program.
license
cc-by-sa-3.0
copyright
Wikipedia authors and editors
original
visit source
partner site
wikipedia EN

Anchoa mitchilli: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

Anchoa mitchilli is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Engraulidae, the anchovies. Its common names include bay anchovy and common anchovy. It is native to the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. It is one of the most common fish species along the coastlines of the western Atlantic.

license
cc-by-sa-3.0
copyright
Wikipedia authors and editors
original
visit source
partner site
wikipedia EN

Distribution

provided by World Register of Marine Species
Western Atlantic: from Casco Bay, Maine south to Florida Keys and westward around the Gulf of Mexico south to Yucatán

Reference

North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)

license
cc-by-4.0
copyright
WoRMS Editorial Board
contributor
Kennedy, Mary [email]