Setipinna tenuifilis (Valenciennes, 1848)
Common hairfin anchovy
Setipinna tenuifilis
photo by CSIRO

Family:  Engraulidae (Anchovies), subfamily: Coiliinae
Max. size:  22 cm SL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 44.3 g
Environment:  pelagic-neritic; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 50 m, amphidromous
Distribution:  Eastern Indian Ocean: northern and eastern Bay of Bengal coasts, including the Andaman Islands; perhaps southward from the Godavari river. Western Pacific: northern coast of Australia, Arafura Sea (Ref. 9819), Gulf of Papua, Sarawak, presumably the Philippines and Hong Kong; China from Taiwan north to Yellow Sea and southern part of Sea of Japan.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 46-56. Belly with 18 to 20 (rarely 17 or 21) + 7 (sometimes 8) = 25 to 27 keeled scutes from isthmus to anus. Lower gill rakers with the serrae uneven, with slight or sometimes distinct clumps of larger serrae. Pectoral filament moderate, reaching back to base of 9th to 21st anal fin ray.
Biology:  Presumably schooling and occurring mostly in coastal waters, but also entering estuaries (Ref. 11230) (e.g. the Hooghly and Godavari in India) and penetrating at least 20 km up the Godavari, tolerating salinities as low as 8.7 ppt. Feeds on prawn, copepods, crustacean larvae, mollusks and fishes. Fairly common (Ref. 189).
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 28 February 2017 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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