General Description

Body is long and slender. The snout is rounded and protrudes in front of the mouth which is very large. The dorsal fin has a short base and its front rays (bony supports within the fin) and longer than the rear rays. The tail fin is deeply forked. The body is greenish above and silvery white below with a broad silver stripe along the midsides. The head is mostly silver and the fins are mostly transparent. Body up to 15 cm.

Biology

Australian Anchovies form large, dense schools in surface waters where they feed on zooplankton. They are preyed upon by larger fishes, dolphins and seabirds for whom they are an important food source. They are of minor commercial importance and are used as bait.

Distribution

Southwest Pacific including islands in the Tasman Sea. Western, southern and eastern Australia.

Habitat

Mostly in bays, inlets and estuaries, but also in offshore waters, in depths of 0-200 m.

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