Anchovy Anchovy An anchovy is a small, common forage fish of the family Engraulidae. Most species are found in marine waters, but several will enter brackish water and some in South America are restricted to fresh water. The more than 140 species are placed in 17 genera; they are found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, and in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. Anchovies are usually classified as oily fish. Anchovies are small, green fish with blue reflections due to a silver-colored longitudinal stripe that runs from the base of the caudal (tail) fin. They range from in
Astyanax microschemos its middle caudal fin; a faint dark pigmentation is also present in the middle of caudal fin rays. The previously described stripe extends dorsally and ventrally close to the caudal fin base, forming a small caudal spot. The fish also exhibits a solitary black, narrow, and vertically elongate humeral spot, located over the second to fourth lateral line scales and which extends over 2-3 horizontal series of scales. Fins have scattered dark chromatophores. "A. microschemos" is only known from the river source of the Itapemirim River, in Espírito Santo, eastern Brazil. At the type locality where the animal was first