Indian Anchovy

Diagnosis: Body slender, elongate, rather round in cross-section, belly rounded, with 2-6 small needle-like pre-pelvic scutes; maxilla tip pointed, reaching to or only just beyond front border of pre-operculum; hind border of pre-operculum convex, rounded; lower gillrakers 20-28; isthmus muscle tapering evenly forward to hind border of branchial membrane; pelvic fin tips not reaching to below dorsal fin origin; anal fin short, with usually 3 unbranched and 16-18 branched finrays, its origin below centre of dorsal fin base; body light transparent fleshy brown, with a silver stripe down flank; no dark pigment lines on back between head and dorsal fin (Ref. 189). Other species with such a short maxilla are Stolephorus advenus, with 7 pre-pelvic scutes, and S. pacificus, with 35-38 gillrakers; maxilla to or almost to hind border of pre-operculum in other Stolephorus species (Ref. 189).Description: Body slender, elongate, rather round in cross-section, belly rounded (Ref. 189). Tip of upper jaw bluntly pointed; maxilla short, not reaching to gill opening, only to front margin of preopercle (Ref. 2871, 5430, 30573). Isthmus continuous, no silvery plate (Ref. 2871). Lower gill rakers 20-28 (Ref. 189, 5430). Pelvic-fin tip not reaching to dorsal-fin origin; anal-fin origin below dorsal-fin base; Dorsal fin with 3 unbranched and 12-14 branched rays; anal fin with 3 unbranched and 16-18 branched rays; pectoral fin with 1 unbranched and 12-15 branched rays; pelvic fin with 1 unbranched and 6 branched rays (Ref. 5430, 30573). Scales: 38-42 lateral line scales (Ref. 5430). With 2-6 small needle-like pre-pelvic scutes, no post-pelvic scutes (Ref. 189, 5430, 30573).Colouration: Body light transparent fleshy brown, with a silver stripe down flank; no dark pigment lines on back between head and dorsal fin (Ref. 189).

In Manila Bay, migrates out into deeper and more saline water to breed (at about 9 cm SL and above), returning immediately thereafter.

Oceanodromous. Migrating within oceans typically between spawning and different feeding areas, as tunas do. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 17; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 19 - 21

Occurs in inshore waters of the continental shelf (Ref. 75154). Juveniles and/or adults are found in mangrove inlets (Ref. 121464). Coastal schooling species (Refs. 75154, 127989). Feeds on zooplankton, benthic invertebrates and fish (Refs. 11889, 127989). Known to enter estuaries. Pelagic inshore (Ref. 127989).

A schooling species occurring in coastal waters and which appears to enter at least the estuarine parts of rivers and to tolerate brackish water. Cpastal pelagic (Ref. 68964). Feeds most likely on zooplankton, but more data needed. In Manila Bay, the Philippines, it migrates out into deeper and more saline water to spawn, returning inshore immediately thereafter. Processed into nuoc-man (fish pickle) in Indo-China (Ref. 4929). Used as bait in the tuna fishery in the South Pacific, although said to be fragile. Also Ref. 58652.

fisheries: minor commercial; bait: occasionally; price category: low; price reliability: questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this genus

Stolephorus indicus (van Hasselt, 1823)

USNM 217029, Fly 75–32, 1: 59.8 mm.

This species was kindly identified by T. Wongratana.

廣泛分布於印度-西太平洋區，非洲東部、印度及南亞。臺灣盛產於南部及東北部海域。

全年皆產，南部沿海較多，是魩鱙漁業的重要漁獲物之一，多以焚寄網捕獲，新鮮時可清蒸，但大多曬乾後出售，炒花生、辣椒或煮湯。

體長形，腹部圓，僅有3-5枚小稜鱗位於胸鰭與腹鰭間。頭略長。吻鈍圓，突出。眼中大。口大，略下斜；上頜前端突出於下頜，上頜骨末端尖，向後延伸達前鰓蓋骨之前緣或略超過；前鰓蓋骨之後緣呈平滑之外凸弧狀。鰓耙細長而密，下枝鰓耙在20-22間。體被圓鱗，鱗小而薄，易脫落，無側線；胸、腹鰭的基部有腋鱗。背鰭短，位於體中央，前方貝1棘狀稜鱗；腹鰭短，末端未達背鰭起點；臀鰭起點位於背鰭中部下方。體灰白色，體側中央由頭部起始至尾柄具一條銀白色帶。各鰭多半透明而略呈青灰色。

近沿海表層魚類，濾食浮游生物為生，具群游性。多於表層至20公尺深之海域活動。

The Indian anchovy (Stolephorus indicus), also known as Hardenberg's anchovy, is a species of oceanodromous ray-finned fish in the family Engraulidae. It is known as handalla (හැදැල්ලා) in Sri Lanka, where it is widely sold at most markets and supermarkets. It is widely used as a live or dead bait in tuna fishery.

It is called Kapsali in Konkani in Goa.

It is called Verli in konkani in Goa

Stolephorus indicus (larger specimens) with commerson's anchovy (smaller specimens) in a lab

A schooling species occurring in coastal waters and which appears to enter at least the estuarine parts of rivers and to tolerate brackish water. Feeds most likely on zooplankton, but more data needed. In Manila Bay, the Philippines, it migrates out into deeper and more saline water to spawn, returning inshore immediately thereafter. Processed into nuoc-man (fish pickle) in Indo-China (Ref. 4929). Used as bait in the tuna fishery in the South Pacific, although said to be fragile.