Description:
Striped anchovies are small, elongate fishes that grow to approximately 6 inches in length.  They are distinguished by a bright silvery stripe running midlaterally.  Body color is typically blue to olive green above the stripe, paler below.  For their body size, anchovies have large eyes and a large gape to the mouth.  The snout is conical, with the mouth inferior.  The upper jaw extends back to the gill plate.  There is a single dorsal fin that originates well behind the head.  The pelvic fins are set abdominally, and the caudal fin is forked.  

Habitat:
Striped anchovies are common in nearshore coastal waters to depths of 250 feet. In coastal waters they often form extensive schools that swim close to the surface.  They are also known to enter estuaries, where they inhabit seagrass beds, mangroves and other habitats that provide cover.  They occasionally enter freshwater areas.

Similar Species:
Several species of anchovies are common in the Indian River Lagoon, especially the bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchelli).  The two may be distinguished by several features:  striped anchovies are somewhat larger, less compressed, and have a more prominent midlateral stripe along the body than do bay anchovies.  Striped anchovies also differ in their primary habitat, being found more commonly in nearshore coastal waters rather than in estuaries. Fin ray counts are also reliable:  the striped anchovy has 15 -18 pectoral fin rays and 20 - 24 anal fin rays.  In comparison, the bay anchovy, has 11-14 pectoral fin rays and 23-31 anal fin rays.    

Range:
Striped anchovies range from Massachusetts south to Brazil and Uruguay  including the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and the West Indies.  It is less common north of the Carolinas and in south Florida waters.