zabaleta anchovy
Anchovia clupeoides
Schooling coastal anchovy that enters estuaries, mangroves and lagoons, from the Caribbean to just north of Rio de Janeiro. It is used as bait and is almost never caught on rod and reel.
Also called: boca-torta, piquete, hachudo, broadhead anchovy
- maximum
- 30 cm
- depth
- 0–50 m
who is the zabaleta anchovy
Fish of the family Engraulidae, the anchovies and manjubas. It reaches 30 cm and forms large schools near the coast, in estuaries, mangroves and lagoons. It enters almost fresh water, such as the Santa Cruz channel in Pernambuco, where salinity varies from 4.9 to 32 ppt. It feeds by filtering plankton from the water and spawns in schools. In fishing it has little commercial importance and is widely used as bait; it almost never reaches rod fishing.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the zabaleta anchovy; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It enters estuaries and reaches almost fresh water in Pernambuco.
identification
Spindle-shaped, silvery body, with a silver stripe on the flank that fades with age. Short, pointed snout, and the maxilla reaches the preopercle. It resembles the xangô (Cetengraulis edentulus), which lives in the same place, but the xangô has dark dots on the head and a row of large black dots at the base of the anal fin. These dots are the main feature separating the two.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America it occurs in Cuba, the Antilles, from Guatemala to Venezuela and Trinidad, and in Brazil, down to just north of Rio de Janeiro.
Habitat: Shallow coastal waters, in schools, within estuaries, mangroves and lagoons.
coast
rules for the zabaleta anchovy
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It has no spines or venom and poses no danger to people.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00513, b = 3.17; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Anchovia clupeoides (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Anchovia clupeoidesNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
