Genus Phyllophichthus Gosline, 1951
Monotypic.
42.25 Phyllophichthus xenodontus
Gosline, 1951
Flappy snake-eel
Flappie-slangpaling
Phyllophichthus xenodontus Gosline, 1951: 316, Fig. 17 (Hawaii);
Smith, 1957: 841*; Smith, 1961: 572, No. 1098s; 1962: 456*.
Head to. 7; depth about 40; tail about 2. D origin over mid-P. Front nostril with a leaf-like flap . Teeth small, sharp; jaw teeth uniserial; intermaxillary teeth biserial; none on vomer. Vertebrae 157-179.
Body olive yellow, head lighter. Attains 42 cm. IndoPacific; south to Delagoa Bay.
L
.
"
' ...... ~ ~ ... . . . '~'~
42.25 Phyllophichthus xenodontus: 27 em (Kenya). Arrow indicates anus.
Genus Pisodonophis Kaup, 1856
Eight to 10 species; 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a D origin about P length behind P tip ............... P. boro
1b D origin above base or middle of P . . . . . . . . . .. P. cancrivorus
42.26 Pisodonophis boro
(Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822)
Estuary snake-eel
Strandmeer-slangpaling
Ophisurus boro Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822: 20 (Ganges). Pisodonophis
boro: Smith, SFSA No. 1100*; 1962: 457'.
Head 9-12; depth 30-36; tail 1.6-1.8. Teeth molariform, in multiserial
bands on jaws, intermaxillary and vomer; teeth sharper and fewer in
young. Vertebrae 171-180.
Olive brown above, lighter below. Attains 100 cm.
Mostly in estuaries but enters freshwater . Indo-Pacific;
south to Knysna.
42: OPHICHTHIDAE (SNAKE EELS & WORM EELS)
42.26 Pisodonophis boro: 50 cm (Natal).
42.27 Pisodonophis cancrivorus
(Richardson, 1844)
Longfin snake-eel
Langvin-slangpaling
Ophisurus cancrivorus Richardson, 1844: 97, PI. 50, Figs. 6-9 (Singapore). Pisodonophis cancrivorus: Smith, SFSA No. 1100s*; 1962: 456*.
Head 9; depth 28; tail 1.7. Teeth molariform, in multiserial bands on
jaws, intermaxillary and vomer; teeth sharper and fewer in lower jaw and
in young. Vertebrae 155-159.
Olive above, lighter below; D with fine black edge. Attains 75 cm. Indo-Pacific; south to Algoa Bay.
42.27 Pisodonophis cancrivorus: 55 cm (Inhaca Id.).
Genus Yirrkala Whitley, 1940
Pectoral fins absent. About 12 species; 2 in our area.
Caecula brevirostris (Peters, 1855), listed by Smith (SFSA
No. 1097*), is probably a synonym of Yirrkala fusca
(Zuiew, 1793), which does not occur in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Origin ofD above gill openings; body depth 41-45;
vertebrae 167-174 .......................... Y. tenuis
1 b Origin of D slightly before gill openings; body depth
65-75; vertebrae 150-153 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Y.lumbricoides
42.28 Yirrkala lumbricoides
(Bleeker, 1853)
Earthworm snake-eel
Erdwurm-slangpaling
Ophisurus lumbricoides Bleeker, 1853: 32 (Indonesia).
Head 15-16; depth 65-75; tail 2.0. Gill openings sublateral, transverse.
Teeth small, sharp; uniserial on jaws; biserial to uniserial on vomer; a few
larger ones on premaxillary, well separated from those on vomer. Head
and snout covered with minute papillae. Vertebrae 150-153.
Plain light brown, fins white. Attains 44 cm. Off Durban
in 20 m (new record for South Africa); known also from
northern Australia and elsewhere in Indo-Pacific.
185
Monotypic.
42.25 Phyllophichthus xenodontus
Gosline, 1951
Flappy snake-eel
Flappie-slangpaling
Phyllophichthus xenodontus Gosline, 1951: 316, Fig. 17 (Hawaii);
Smith, 1957: 841*; Smith, 1961: 572, No. 1098s; 1962: 456*.
Head to. 7; depth about 40; tail about 2. D origin over mid-P. Front nostril with a leaf-like flap . Teeth small, sharp; jaw teeth uniserial; intermaxillary teeth biserial; none on vomer. Vertebrae 157-179.
Body olive yellow, head lighter. Attains 42 cm. IndoPacific; south to Delagoa Bay.
L
.
"
' ...... ~ ~ ... . . . '~'~
42.25 Phyllophichthus xenodontus: 27 em (Kenya). Arrow indicates anus.
Genus Pisodonophis Kaup, 1856
Eight to 10 species; 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a D origin about P length behind P tip ............... P. boro
1b D origin above base or middle of P . . . . . . . . . .. P. cancrivorus
42.26 Pisodonophis boro
(Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822)
Estuary snake-eel
Strandmeer-slangpaling
Ophisurus boro Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822: 20 (Ganges). Pisodonophis
boro: Smith, SFSA No. 1100*; 1962: 457'.
Head 9-12; depth 30-36; tail 1.6-1.8. Teeth molariform, in multiserial
bands on jaws, intermaxillary and vomer; teeth sharper and fewer in
young. Vertebrae 171-180.
Olive brown above, lighter below. Attains 100 cm.
Mostly in estuaries but enters freshwater . Indo-Pacific;
south to Knysna.
42: OPHICHTHIDAE (SNAKE EELS & WORM EELS)
42.26 Pisodonophis boro: 50 cm (Natal).
42.27 Pisodonophis cancrivorus
(Richardson, 1844)
Longfin snake-eel
Langvin-slangpaling
Ophisurus cancrivorus Richardson, 1844: 97, PI. 50, Figs. 6-9 (Singapore). Pisodonophis cancrivorus: Smith, SFSA No. 1100s*; 1962: 456*.
Head 9; depth 28; tail 1.7. Teeth molariform, in multiserial bands on
jaws, intermaxillary and vomer; teeth sharper and fewer in lower jaw and
in young. Vertebrae 155-159.
Olive above, lighter below; D with fine black edge. Attains 75 cm. Indo-Pacific; south to Algoa Bay.
42.27 Pisodonophis cancrivorus: 55 cm (Inhaca Id.).
Genus Yirrkala Whitley, 1940
Pectoral fins absent. About 12 species; 2 in our area.
Caecula brevirostris (Peters, 1855), listed by Smith (SFSA
No. 1097*), is probably a synonym of Yirrkala fusca
(Zuiew, 1793), which does not occur in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Origin ofD above gill openings; body depth 41-45;
vertebrae 167-174 .......................... Y. tenuis
1 b Origin of D slightly before gill openings; body depth
65-75; vertebrae 150-153 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Y.lumbricoides
42.28 Yirrkala lumbricoides
(Bleeker, 1853)
Earthworm snake-eel
Erdwurm-slangpaling
Ophisurus lumbricoides Bleeker, 1853: 32 (Indonesia).
Head 15-16; depth 65-75; tail 2.0. Gill openings sublateral, transverse.
Teeth small, sharp; uniserial on jaws; biserial to uniserial on vomer; a few
larger ones on premaxillary, well separated from those on vomer. Head
and snout covered with minute papillae. Vertebrae 150-153.
Plain light brown, fins white. Attains 44 cm. Off Durban
in 20 m (new record for South Africa); known also from
northern Australia and elsewhere in Indo-Pacific.
185