ENGRAULIDAE


Stolephorus insularis, 9.8 cm SL
(photo by Seishi Kimura)


Stolephorus insularis
Hardenberg, 1933
Hardenberg's Anchovy

D 15-16; A 17-19; P1 15-17; LGR 21-28 (usually 23-27).

Body slender, somewhat compressed; abdomen with 4-8 (usually 6-7) small needle-like prepelvic scutes, but no postpelvic scutes; pelvic scute without spine; a small predorsal spine-like scute present in some specimens. Posterior tip of maxilla pointed, extending to or beyond posterior border of preopercle; posterior border of preopercle slightly concave. Isthmus muscle reaching to and beyond gill membrane. Anal fin short, its origin situated below middle of dorsal-fin base; caudal fin large and forked. Scales cycloid; longitudinal scale rows about 36-38. Color: body semi-translucent, with a broad silver stripe midlaterally; a double pigment line on dorsum posterior to dorsal fin. Size: maximum ca. 6.4 cm SL. Distribution: Indo-West Pacific, from Gulf of Thailand and Java Sea, and Fiji, Samoa, and New Caledonia, north to Taiwan. Remarks: schooling fish found in coastal waters.(Seishi Kimura)