Californian anchovy (Engraulis mordax)

Scientific name: Engraulis mordax Girard, 1854

Californian anchovy (Engraulis mordax)

The Californian anchovy (Engraulis mordax) is a marine fish of the family Engraulidae.

Biology

Usually found in coastal waters within about 30 km from shore, but as far out as 480 km, forming large, tightly packed schools. Enters bays and inlets. Feeds on euphausiids, copepods and decapod larvae, both by random filter-feeding and by 'pecking' at prey. Oviparous, epipelagic batch spawner. Spawns throughout the year, peaking once. Processed into fishmeal, used as bait for tuna, occasionally canned.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Engraulis mordax
Family
Engraulidae (Anchovies)
Order
Clupeiformes (Herrings)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
24.8
Common length
15.0
Depth range
0–300 m (0–984 ft)
Environment
Marine; pelagic-neritic; depth range 0 - 300 m, usually ? - 219 m
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Northeast Pacific: northern Vancouver Island south to Cape San Lucas, Baja California, Mexico. Two subspecies recognized: Engraulis mordax mordax from British Columbia to Baja California and Engraulis mordax nanus in Bays of California.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial; bait: usually
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (rm=0.36; K=0.2-0.6; tm=1-4; tmax=7; Fec=4000)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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