42.5 Cirrhimuraena inhacae: 18.5 em holotype (Inhaca Id.), arrow indicates
anus; head from 23 em eel (Madagascar).
42.6 Cirrhimuraena p/ayfairii
(Gunther, 1870)
Fringelip snake-eel
Fraiinglip-slangpaling
Ophichthys playfairii Gunther, 1870: 76 (Zanzibar). Cirrhimuraena
playfairii: Smith, SFSA No. 1099. lenkinsiella playfairii: Smith, 1957:
840*; 1962: 449* .
Head 11-14; depth 35-40; tail 1.5. All teeth small, slender, sharp; uniserial or biserial on jaws and vomer in young, increasing to 3-4 series with
age; a few teeth on intermaxillary. Vertebrae 180-187 (Hawaiian and Marquesan specimens).
Olive brown, lighter below. Attains 39 cm. Indo-Pacific;
Zanzibar to Kosi Bay.
42.6 Cirrhimuraena p/ayfairii: 29 em (Aldabra Id.). Arrow indicates anus.
Genus Ichthyapusde Barneville, 1847
No fins. Six or 7 species; 1 in our area.
42.7 /chthyapus acuticeps
(Barnard, 1923)
Sharp nose sand-eel
Skerpneus-sandpaling
Sphagebranchus acuticeps Barnard, 1923: 444 (off Tugela R., Natal, 37
fms). Caecula orientalis (non McClelland): Smith, SFSA No. 1098.
Caecula acuticeps Smith, 1962: 453* .
42: OPHICHTHIDAE (SNAKE EELS & WORM EELS)
Head 7.8-8.7; depth 40-50; tail 1.9-2.0. Gill openings ventral, longitudinal, close together. Teeth sharp, recurved, uniserial on jaws and
vomer; a group of about 3 on·intermaxillary. Vertebrae 101-108.
Uniform light brown, lighter below, darker markings on
head, extreme tip of snout dark. Attains 40 cm. Known only
from Zululand to Durban. A similar species l. vulturis
(Weber & de Beaufort, 1916), with 117-134 vertebrae is
known widely in the Indo-Pacific.
42.7 Ichthyapus acuticeps: 31 em.
Genus Lamnostoma Kaup, 1856
Snout pointed, underside grooved. Four species; 1 in our
area.
42.S Lamnostoma orientalis
(McClelland, 1844)
Finny sand-eel
Gevinde sandpaling
Dalophis orientalis McClelland, 1844: 213. Lamnostoma pictum Kaup,
1856: 23*. Caecula pterygera (non Vahl): Smith, 1966: 93.
Head 8; depth 31-42; tail 2. Posterior nostril guarded by a downwardfacing papilla. No P; D origin a little behind gill openings which are ventral, longitudinal and have a fold of skin alongside. Teeth sharp, recurved,
uniserial. Vertebrae 132-141.
Dark above LL, lighter below with light spots as shown.
Attains 36 cm. Natal, and probably elsewhere in turbid
water; also India to central Indo-Pacific.
42.8 Lamnostoma orienta/is: top: 18.5 cm; bottom: 27 cm.
179
anus; head from 23 em eel (Madagascar).
42.6 Cirrhimuraena p/ayfairii
(Gunther, 1870)
Fringelip snake-eel
Fraiinglip-slangpaling
Ophichthys playfairii Gunther, 1870: 76 (Zanzibar). Cirrhimuraena
playfairii: Smith, SFSA No. 1099. lenkinsiella playfairii: Smith, 1957:
840*; 1962: 449* .
Head 11-14; depth 35-40; tail 1.5. All teeth small, slender, sharp; uniserial or biserial on jaws and vomer in young, increasing to 3-4 series with
age; a few teeth on intermaxillary. Vertebrae 180-187 (Hawaiian and Marquesan specimens).
Olive brown, lighter below. Attains 39 cm. Indo-Pacific;
Zanzibar to Kosi Bay.
42.6 Cirrhimuraena p/ayfairii: 29 em (Aldabra Id.). Arrow indicates anus.
Genus Ichthyapusde Barneville, 1847
No fins. Six or 7 species; 1 in our area.
42.7 /chthyapus acuticeps
(Barnard, 1923)
Sharp nose sand-eel
Skerpneus-sandpaling
Sphagebranchus acuticeps Barnard, 1923: 444 (off Tugela R., Natal, 37
fms). Caecula orientalis (non McClelland): Smith, SFSA No. 1098.
Caecula acuticeps Smith, 1962: 453* .
42: OPHICHTHIDAE (SNAKE EELS & WORM EELS)
Head 7.8-8.7; depth 40-50; tail 1.9-2.0. Gill openings ventral, longitudinal, close together. Teeth sharp, recurved, uniserial on jaws and
vomer; a group of about 3 on·intermaxillary. Vertebrae 101-108.
Uniform light brown, lighter below, darker markings on
head, extreme tip of snout dark. Attains 40 cm. Known only
from Zululand to Durban. A similar species l. vulturis
(Weber & de Beaufort, 1916), with 117-134 vertebrae is
known widely in the Indo-Pacific.
42.7 Ichthyapus acuticeps: 31 em.
Genus Lamnostoma Kaup, 1856
Snout pointed, underside grooved. Four species; 1 in our
area.
42.S Lamnostoma orientalis
(McClelland, 1844)
Finny sand-eel
Gevinde sandpaling
Dalophis orientalis McClelland, 1844: 213. Lamnostoma pictum Kaup,
1856: 23*. Caecula pterygera (non Vahl): Smith, 1966: 93.
Head 8; depth 31-42; tail 2. Posterior nostril guarded by a downwardfacing papilla. No P; D origin a little behind gill openings which are ventral, longitudinal and have a fold of skin alongside. Teeth sharp, recurved,
uniserial. Vertebrae 132-141.
Dark above LL, lighter below with light spots as shown.
Attains 36 cm. Natal, and probably elsewhere in turbid
water; also India to central Indo-Pacific.
42.8 Lamnostoma orienta/is: top: 18.5 cm; bottom: 27 cm.
179