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
Cheilodipterus novemstriatus anal fin is in line with the second dorsal fin and the caudal fin is forked. The body is an overall silver-grey in colour with five contrasting, longitudinal black stripes with the upper running near the base of the dorsal fin. The middle or third stripe starts at the snout running through the eye to the caudal peduncle, while the lower stripe runs along ventral surface in an arc which terminates in front of the base of the pectoral fin, the portion of this stripe often becomes indistinct towards the base of the anal fin. The caudal peduncle has a