
Shorthead anchovy
Encrasicholina heteroloba
- Usual depth0–43 m
- Water temperature18–30 °C
- Best monthsMarch, April, and December
- How commonOccasional
Photo credit: (c) Pranav Chandra Bose, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
About this species
Encrasicholina heteroloba, the shorthead anchovy, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Engraulidae. It is found in the western Indian Ocean.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Encrasicholina heteroloba”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 5 records
- February: 3 records
- March: 6 records
- April: 9 records
- May: 1 records
- June: 2 records
- July: 3 records
- August: 4 records
- September: 5 records
- October: 1 records
- November: 3 records
- December: 6 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 0–43 m · Deepest record: 75 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 18–30 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Shorthead anchovy, Anchovy, Blue anchovy, East Indian anchovy, Gold anchovy, Indian anchovy, Pygmy anchovy, shorthead anchovy
Names in 3 more languages
- Spanish
- Boquerón aduanero
- French
- Anchois douanier
- Japanese
- Shiroganeainokoiwashi, シロガネアイノコイワシ, ミズスルル
Other scientific names: Anchoviella heteroloba, Encrasicholina heterolobus, Encrasicholus heteroloba, Encrasicolina heteroloba, Encrasicolus heteroloba, Engraulis heteroloba, Stolephorus heteroloba, Stolephorus heterolobus, Stolephorus pseudoheterolobus
Similar species
- Buccaneer anchovy
Encrasicholina punctifer
Japanese anchovyEngraulis japonicus
- Commerson's anchovy
Stolephorus commersonnii
- Indian anchovy
Stolephorus indicus
- Longjaw thryssa
Thryssa setirostris
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 748 open-data records from 1837 to 2023.
- Species data updated October 26, 2026.
Log what you see on your next dive
The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.