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Common hairfin anchovy (Setipinna tenuifilis) — Engraulidae

Common hairfin anchovy

Setipinna tenuifilis
Family: Engraulidae
LC · Least Concern

The Common hairfin anchovy (Setipinna tenuifilis) is a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water of the family Engraulidae that grows up to 22 cm.

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

Description

The common hairfin anchovy is a small herring relative from the Indo-West Pacific, in coastal and estuarine water of South and Southeast Asia. The species grows to about 22 cm and has a laterally strongly compressed, silvery body with a sharp belly edge and a conspicuously long, thread-like first pectoral fin ray. It forms schools and filters small zooplankton. It is a heavily caught food fish. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Common hairfin anchovy?

The Common hairfin anchovy has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Common hairfin anchovy live?

The Common hairfin anchovy lives in both fresh and salt water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Common hairfin anchovy get?

The Common hairfin anchovy grows to a maximum of about 22 cm.

Is the Common hairfin anchovy dangerous to humans?

No, the Common hairfin anchovy is harmless to humans.

Is the Common hairfin anchovy edible?

Yes, the Common hairfin anchovy is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Draadvin-ansjovis verified
English name
Common hairfin anchovy verified
Scientific name
Setipinna tenuifilis
Family
Engraulidae
Other names
Common hairfin anchovy; Godavari anchovy; Hairfin anchovy verified

Appearance

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

Behaviour & biology

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

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 Setipinna

More from the family Engraulidae

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