Anchovy

Scientific name: anchoa mitchilli

Domain: eukaryote

Kingdom: animal

Phylum: chordate

Class: actinopterygii

Order: clupeiformes

Family: engraulidae

Genus: anchoa

Species: mitchilli

Anchovies are found in the Eastern Central Pacific and Atlantic oceans. They have bilateral symmetry. Anchovies have a silvery green body, a very large mouth, one dorsal fin on its back, and a forked tail fin. A behavioral adaptation of the anchovy is that they create large schools, and that helps them find prey and protects them from predators. A structural adaptation of the anchovy is that they are small and very hard to spot so it is difficult for predators to find them. They can also sneak up on prey because of their size. A functional adaptation is that they peck at their prey with their large mouth. An interesting fact about the anchovy is that they grow up to only 10cm. Their predators are bluefish, weakfish, and striped bass. Their prey is zooplankton. Anchovies are heterotrophic and ectothermic.