A patient presents with anemia and is found to have a mutation in the gene encoding for spectrin, a key component of the red blood cell cytoskeleton. Which type of anemia is this patient most likely to have?

Mutations in the genes encoding for spectrin can lead to hereditary elliptocytosis, a disorder characterized by elliptical red blood cells. Spectrin is a crucial component of the red blood cell cytoskeleton, providing structural support and maintaining cell shape.