Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 



159 



narrow, about equal to length of snout and eye in adults, its posterior angle approxi- 

 mately 30°. Gill rakers at angle fully as long as eye in adults, proportionately 

 shorter in young. 



Dorsal fin moderately high anteriorly, the longest rays reaching to or beyond tip 

 of last ray if deflexed, its origin somewhat variable, generally a little nearer to base of 

 caudal than the tip of snout. Anal fin moderately long, its origin somewhat variable, 

 sometimes nearly under middle of dorsal base, more frequently anterior to this point, 

 its base generally about equal to length of head, 3.2-3.85 in SL. Pelvic fin small, 



Figure 26. Anchovia nigra, type specimen, 125 mm TL, from Maracaibo Basin, Venezuela, USNM 121761. 

 Drawn by A. M. Awl. 



reaching a little more than halfway to origin of anal, inserted a little nearer to base of 

 pectoral than to origin of anal. Pectoral fin rather large, reaching well beyond base 

 of pelvic, 1. 6-1. 9 in head. Axillary scale of pectoral fin broad at base, variable in 

 length, usually reaching to middle of fin or beyond, 3.4—4.1 in head. 



Color. In alcohol, back a pale straw color. Sides silvery. Silvery lateral band in 

 specimens up to 75 mm TL, the band very narrow in 40-mm specimens, becoming 

 proportionately broader and less well defined ventrally, diffused with silvery color on 

 lower part of sides in largest example ; dark streak present on middle of back in large 

 examples but scarcely evident in small ones in which the dark punctulations that later 

 form the band remain separate; scattered punctulations extending down to silvery lateral 

 band. Dorsal and caudal fins with dark points; other fins plain translucent; small spec- 

 imens, 75 mm TL and under, with dark dots along base of anal fin and on ventral 

 surface of caudal peduncle. 



Sixe. The largest specimen examined, the type (USNM 121761), is 125 mm 

 (5 in.) TL or 95 mm SL. Since a length of 300 mm (12 in.) has been reported 

 for its near relative, clupeoides, it may be assumed that larger examples of nigra will 

 be found. 



