Anchoviella sanfranciscana is diagnosed from its congeners by the following characteristics: wide silver lateral band present, with a well-defined dark brown and yellow lateral band above - its total width is 1.5 to 2 times wider than the ocular diameter, (vs. width is less than 1 time in other congeners); distance from tip of dorsal fin to start of anal fin is similar in size as the dorsal fin (vs. distance is smaller in other congeners, except A. perfasciata); and 29-35 gill rakers in lower branch of the first branchial arch (vs. maximum is 27 in other congeners, except for A. cayennensis) (Ref. 116921).