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| Features |
| Not very compressed body, quite
large eye in the fore part of the head, two series of scales. Almost
horizontal mouth, with very minute teeth. |
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| Length |
| Max 20 cm. |
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| Habitat |
| The anchovy lives in the depth of prevalently
clean seas, such as the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and Pacific
Ocean and so on. |
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| Colour |
| Greenish blue on the backs, silver on the
sides and belly, with a grey-blue stripe between the dark back and
the light sides. |
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| Reproduction |
| The anchovy is one of the most numerous sea
species. In spring every female anchovy lays up to 40 000 eggs.
The fish becomes adult in a year's time, and this feature determines
their quick reproduction. |
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| Nutrition |
| Anchovies feed mainly on zooplankton, a natural
mixture made up of herbivorous and carnivorous organisms living
exclusively in clean seas. |
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| Fishing |
|
In times past it was caught only using post mesh nets, later fishermen
created 'entrapment' nets which, lowered at different depths,
attracted fish on the surface thanks to sources of light, known
as "Lampare".Fishing starts in March/April and
ends in August/September. The best anchovies are those caught
in May/June, as in that period they lay their eggs.
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| Marketing |
| Quite important species, the anchovy's
tasty flesh is largely destined to packaging industry and it is
only in minimum part eaten fresh. |
