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Bony fish

Californian Anchovy

Engraulis mordax

Also known as: Bait, Baitfish, Bay Anchovy, North Pacific Anchovy, Northern Anchovy, Pinhead, Rainbow Smelt, Smelt, Whitebait

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Adult
@fishx6 · Monterey Bay Aquarium, United States · April 20231 / 1
01

Overview

Found in large, packed schools, on bays and inlets of coastal waters, never more than 30km from shores.

Herrings are the largest of the schooling baitfish and are one of the most important fish in the food chain!

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Pattern
stripes
Behaviour
schooling

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Northeast Pacific
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found in large, packed schools, on bays and inlets of coastal waters, never more than 30km from shores.

RANGE
04

Adult photos 1

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderClupeiformes
    5. familyEngraulidae
    6. genusEngraulis
    7. speciesEngraulis mordax Girard, 1854

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

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    1 photo

    Skipjack Shad

    Alosa chrysochloris

    2 photos