Engraulis japonicus Temminck & Schlegel, 1846
Japanese anchovy
Bolinao,  Bolinaw,  Gurayan,  Japanese anchovy,  Ligbao na bilog,  Balingon,  Bolinao,  Bulinao,  Bulinaw,  Dilis,  Domud-ot,  Silag,  Tigih
Engraulis japonicus
photo by Zsilavecz, G.

Family:  Engraulidae (Anchovies), subfamily: Engraulinae
Max. size:  18 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 45.0 g; max. reported age: 4 years
Environment:  pelagic-neritic; marine; depth range 0 - 400 m, oceanodromous
Distribution:  Western Pacific: southern Sakhalin Islands, Sea of Japan and Pacific coasts of Japan, and south to almost Canton/Taiwan; rare records (seems to represent stray fishes) off the coasts of Luzon and Western Mindanao, Philippines and from Manado and Ujung Pandang, Sulawesi, Indonesia (Ref. 189).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-14; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 13-18. Differs very little from the European anchovy (see E. encrasicolus) and can be identified from that description. Of other anchovies found in the southern part of its distribution, only species of Encrasicholina and Stolephorus are of similar appearance, but all have small spine-like pre-pelvic scutes (usually 2 to 7 scutes). Thryssa have compressed bodies and a keel of scutes along belly.
Biology:  Occurs in large schools near the surface, mainly in coastal waters but as far out as over 1,000 km from the shore. Tends to move more northward and inshore in spring and summer. Juveniles associate with drifting seaweed (Ref. 12114, 12115). Feeds on copepods, but also on other small crustaceans, molluscan larvae, fish eggs and larvae and diatoms. Marketed fresh and salted, processed into fishmeal and oil (Ref. 12484).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 16 May 2018 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  reports of ciguatera poisoning
Country info:  Philippine records (Luzon and western Mindanao) seem to represent stray fishes (Ref. 189). Also Ref. 280, 96339.


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