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Gray's grenadier anchovy (Coilia grayii) — Engraulidae

Gray's grenadier anchovy

Coilia grayii
Family: Engraulidae
LC · Least Concern

The Gray's grenadier anchovy (Coilia grayii) is a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water of the family Engraulidae that grows up to 33 cm.

Length
33 cm
Water
Euryhaline
Depth
0.0–50.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

Gray's grenadier anchovy is an anchovy (Engraulidae) from East Asia, occurring in the coastal waters, estuaries and rivers of China. The species reaches about 33 cm and has an elongate, silvery body that tapers strongly to the rear into a thin tail tip, with an anal fin running to the tail and a few free, thread-like pectoral rays. It is euryhaline and tolerates both salt and fresh water. The diet consists of zooplankton, small insects, crustaceans and small fishes. The species is regularly caught and eaten locally.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Gray's grenadier anchovy?

The Gray's grenadier anchovy has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Gray's grenadier anchovy live?

The Gray's grenadier anchovy lives in both fresh and salt water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Gray's grenadier anchovy get?

The Gray's grenadier anchovy grows to a maximum of about 33 cm. On average the species is around 22 cm.

Is the Gray's grenadier anchovy dangerous to humans?

No, the Gray's grenadier anchovy is harmless to humans.

Is the Gray's grenadier anchovy edible?

Yes, the Gray's grenadier anchovy is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Grays staartansjovis sourced
English name
Gray's grenadier anchovy verified
Scientific name
Coilia grayii
Family
Engraulidae
Other names
Long-tailed anchovy; Pointed-tailed anchovy verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
33.0 verified
Average length (cm)
22.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Euryhaline sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
50.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Schooling inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Sportvissen met kunstaas of (dood/levend) aasvis door te trollen, te werpen of drijvend te vissen in open water. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Coilia

More from the family Engraulidae

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