Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 



403 



lower limb of first arch in specimens 37-44 mm, about 70-75 in examples 70-80 mm, 

 and 85—100 in specimens 105— 125 mm SL (gill rakers removed from arch for 

 counting). Teeth absent on upper jaw; some fine points on margin of maxillary; 

 lower jaw with a few small teeth anteriorly on each side of a median interruption ; a 

 few minute teeth on palatines, pterygoids, and tongue. 



Dorsal fin only moderately elevated anteriorly, its margin somewhat concave, its 

 longest ray usually failing to reach the tip of last one if deflexed, its origin about equi- 

 distant between margin of snout and vertical from middle of base of anal, its distance 

 from the margin of snout 2.3—3.5 ■" ^L; its base with a very narrow sheath composed 



Figure 100. Sardinella anchovia. left, anal fin showing last two large rays; right, left-hand run of pectoral 

 girdle (cleithrum), showing two lobes underneath free edge of gill cover; both from specimen in Fig. 99. Drawn 

 by Ann S. Green. 



of a single row of elongated scales, the posterior ones with a free lower margin. Caudal 

 fin rather deeply forked, the lower lobe slightly the longer, without scales except for a 

 few modified ones on its base. Anal fin much lower than dorsal, its last two rays notably 

 enlarged and scarcely shorter than the longest ones in anterior lobe of fin, its origin 

 about equidistant between the insertion of pelvic fin and base of caudal, its base 

 1. 45-1. 8 in head; a sheath of scales at base somewhat broader than that of dorsal. 

 Pelvic fin with margin scarcely convex when spread, reaching a little more than 

 halfway to origin of anal, its shortest ray about 75 "/o of the length of longest ray, 

 the fin inserted about equidistant between base of pectoral and origin of anal, 2.1-3.0 

 in head; the axillary process reaching to or beyond midlength of fin. Pectoral fin 

 scarcely falcate, falling to reach base of pelvic fin by a distance nearly equal to, or quite 

 equal to, length of snout and eye, Its length from base of upper ray to tip of fin 

 5.7—6.6 In SL, 1. 35-1. 6 In head. 



Color. Bluish black above, changing rather abruptly to bright silvery at level of 

 upper margin of eye. Head and especially snout with many dusky punctulations; dorsal 

 and caudal rays with numerous dark dots, these especially crowded on distal parts ot 

 longest rays of dorsal, giving the lobe a blackish appearance when folded; the other fins 

 plain, translucent, except for dark dots on 2 or 3 of the uppermost rays ot the pectoral. 



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