European anchovy
📖 Overview
Mainly oceanic, marine species, forming large schools (see Ref. 126017:598). Tolerates salinities of 5-41 ppt and in some areas, enters lagoons, estuaries and lakes, especially during spawning. Tends to move further north and into surface waters in summer, retreating and descending in winter. Feeds on planktonic organisms. Spawns from April to November with peaks usually in the warmest months. Eggs are ellipsoidal to oval, floating in the upper 50 m and hatching in 24-65 hours. Marketed fresh, dried, smoked, canned and frozen; made into fish meal .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16 - 18; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 13 - 15; Vertebrae: 46 - 47. Snout pointed; maxilla short, tip blunt, reaching almost to front border of pre-operculum, not projecting beyond tip of second supra-maxilla; tip of lower jaw reaching almost to below nostril. Gill rakers present on hind face of third epibranchial. Pseudobranch longer than eye, reaching onto inner face of operculum. A silver stripe along flank, disappearing with age.: elongated; Cross section: oval.
🌀 Behaviour
Anchovies form enormous, dense schools that synchronise their movements to confuse predators. They are filter feeders that swim with their mouths open. They make daily vertical migrations, staying near the surface at night and descending during daylight hours.
🦐 Diet
European Anchovies feed by filter-feeding on phytoplankton, zooplankton, and very small fish larvae using their long, fine gill rakers.
🥚 Reproduction
Pelagic spawners. Gametogenesis is continuous, multiple spawning. Spawning peaks are usually in the warmer months which makes this species a spring-summer spawner. The limits of the spawning season is dependent on temperature and is therefore more restricted in northern areas. Sex ratio: 45% female .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; brackish; pelagic-neritic; oceanodromous ; depth range 0 - 400 m . Subtropical; 62°N - 37°S, 18°W - 42°E East London, South Africa (perhaps reaching Durban) (Ref.
🌿 Ecology
planktonic organisms
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"European anchovy is an excellent table fish with versatile culinary applications."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 131 kcal |
| Protein | 18.7 g |
| Total Fat | 4.8 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 976 mg |
| EPA | 763 mg |
| DHA | 1,292 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
🌿 Sustainability
🔬 Full Nutritional Profile
Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (oily fish average)
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Anchovy Paste · Black Sea Anchovy · European anchovy · European anchovy, Anchovy · Italian Sardel · South African Anchovy · Southern African anchovy · Southern Anchovy · anchovy |
| 🌍BRE | genou-kamm |
| 🏳️Catalan | aladroc · seitó |
| 🌍CES | sardel obecná |
| 🌍CYM | Brwyniaid · brwyniad |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Ansjos · Europæisk ansjos |
| 🇩🇪German | Anchovis · Europäische Sardelle · Sardelle · Sardellenpaste |
| 🌍ELL | Γαύρος |
| 🌍EUS | anxoa · bokarta |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Sardelli |
| 🇫🇷French | Amplovo · Anchois · Anchois Commun · Anchois Européen · Anchois Italien · Anchois de L'Afrique Australe · Anchois européen, Anchois · Carne A Carne · anchois d'Europe |
| 🌍GLG | bocareo · bocarte |
| 🌍HEB | עפיין |
| 🌍ISL | Ansjósa |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Acciuga · Alice · Pasta d'acciughe |
| 🌍MLT | Incova (adult) · Nemusa (juvenile) · Nemusa rasha morra |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Ansjovis · Europese ansjovis |
| 🌍NNO | ansjos |
| 🌍NOB | ansjos |
| 🇳🇴Norwegian | Ansjos |
| 🇵🇱Polish | sardela europejska |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Biqueirao · Enchova · Pasta de anchoa · anchova |
| 🌍RON | Hamsia · hamsie |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Анчоус европейский |
| 🌍SLV | Sardon · inčun |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Anchoa · Anchoa Europea · Anchoa de Africa Austral · Anchoa, boqueron · Bocareu · Boqueron · Carne Con Carne · Longorón · Pasta Fermentada de Anchoas |
| 🌍SQI | Açuga · gavroja · inçuni |
| 🌍SRP | Brgljun · Incun · Slana pasta od inçuna |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Sardell · ansjovis |
| 🌍TUR | Hamsi |
| 🌍UKR | Анчоус європейський |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchoa guineensis | Rossignol & Blache | 1961 | Synonym |
| Anchoviella guineensis | Rossignol & Blache | 1961 | Synonym |
| Clupea encrasicolus | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Engraulis amara | Risso | 1827 | Synonym |
| Engraulis argyrophanus | Valenciennes | 1848 | Synonym |
| Engraulis encrasicholus | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Engraulis encrasicholus ponticus | Aleksandrov | 1927 | Synonym |
| Engraulis encrasicolis | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Engraulis encrasicolus ponticus | Alexandrov | 1927 | Synonym |
| Engraulis encrasicolus russoi | Dulzetto | 1947 | Synonym |
| Engraulis engrasicholus | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Engraulis engrasicolus | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Engraulis guineensis | Rossignol & Blache | 1961 | Synonym |
| Engraulis meletta | Cuvier | 1829 | Synonym |
| Engraulis russoi | Dulzetto | 1947 | Synonym |
| Engraulis vulgaris | Nilsson | 1832 | Synonym |
| Engraulus encrasicholus | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Stolephorus encrasicolus | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
📚 Scientific References
13 publications cited
- Froese, R. and Pauly, D. (Editors) (2024). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. FishBase Consortium. Link ↗
- IUCN (2024). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2024-1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Link ↗
- GBIF Secretariat (2024). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. Global Biodiversity Information Facility. DOI ↗
- USDA Agricultural Research Service (2024). FoodData Central. USDA National Nutrient Database. United States Department of Agriculture. Link ↗
- FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department (2024). The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Link ↗
- Kaschner, K., Kesner-Reyes, K., Garilao, C., Segschneider, J., Rius-Barile, J., Rees, T., Froese, R. (2024). AquaMaps: Predicted range maps for aquatic species. AquaMaps. Link ↗
- Nelson, J.S., Grande, T.C., Wilson, M.V.H. (2016). Fishes of the World. 5th edition. John Wiley & Sons.
- Helfman, G.S., Collette, B.B., Facey, D.E., Bowen, B.W. (2009). The Diversity of Fishes: Biology, Evolution, and Ecology. 2nd edition. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Froese, R. (2006). Cube law, condition factor and weight-length relationships: history, meta-analysis and recommendations. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 22(4), 241-253. DOI ↗
- Halstead, B.W., Auerbach, P.S., Campbell, D. (1988). A Colour Atlas of Dangerous Marine Animals. Wolfe Medical Publications. Wolfe Medical.
- Balon, E.K. (1975). Reproductive Guilds of Fishes: A Proposal and Definition. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 32(6), 821-864.
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🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 728 records indexed .
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