100: BATRACHOIDIDAE (TOADFISHES)
bars; C dark brown, rear margin pale; large adults (>20 cm
SL) with irregular dark ring-like markings on head. Attains
26 cm. Known only from Angola round the coast to Port St.
Johns; abundant in 120 - 250 m off Cape Fria, Namibia
(Karrer, 1973).
100.6 Chatrabus melanurus: top: 25 em holotype of C. damaranus (Walvis Bay);
bottom: 17.5 em holotype of Tharbacus vanecki (Port Alfred).
Genus Perulibatrachus Roux & Whitley, 1971
Two species in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Prays 26; anterior nostril with a tuft of tentacles;
globules of glandular tissue on inner face of P ........... P. elminensis
Ib Prays 23; anterior nostril tubular with a simple
tentacle; no globules of glandular tissue on
inner face of P .................................................... P. rossignoli
100.7 Perulibatrachus elminensis
(Bleeker, 1863)
Guinean toadfish
Guinese-platannavis
Batrachus elminensis Bleeker, 1863: 98 (Guinea). Batrachus budkeri
Roux, 1957: 221 *. Parabatrachus elminensis: Roux, 1971: 633*. Perulibatrachus elminensis: Roux, 1981 *.
o III + 16-21; A 14-17; P 26. Gill cover with 4 strong spines. Upper LL
with 60 pores.
360
Ground colour dark brown on back, light brown on sides
and belly; a network of irregular brown lines covering entire
body except belly; soft D and A with oblique brown stripes.
Attains 35 cm. West African coast south to Walvis Bay.
100.7 Perulibatrachus elminensis: 24 em (after Raux, 1981).
100.8 Perulibatrachus rossignoli
(Roux, 1957)
Westcoast toadfish
Weskus-platannavis
Batrachus rossignoli Roux, 1957: 221*. Parabatrachus rossignoli:
Roux, 1971: 635*. Batrachus rossignoli: Lloris, 1981: 25. Perulibatrachus
rossignoli: Roux, 1981 *.
o III + 19; A 13-15; P23. Gill cover with 3 strong spines. Upper LL with
40 pores. Inner surface of P with diffuse glandular tissue.
Ground colour brownish, belly paler; 3-4 brown
crossbars on body and 2 on head; brown spots sometimes
spread over head and body. Attains 30 cm. West African
coast from Gabon to Namibia; one specimen reported from
off Walvis Bay.
100.8 Perulibatrachus rossignoli: 23 em (after Raux, 1981).
Genus Riekertia Smith, 1952
Only 1 species.
100.9 Riekertia ellisi
Smith,1952
Broadbodied toadfish
Breelyf-platannavis
Riekertia ellisi Smith, 1952: 325, Fig. 1 (Pondoland); 1953: 523, No.
1218a* .
o III + 19-20; A 15-17; P 24-25; vertebrae 11 + 18. Gill cover with 3 or 4
spines; upper LL pores 47-50. A patch of small embedded scales on body
from C base to just before anus, the patch narrowing anteriorly; rest of
body scaleless.
bars; C dark brown, rear margin pale; large adults (>20 cm
SL) with irregular dark ring-like markings on head. Attains
26 cm. Known only from Angola round the coast to Port St.
Johns; abundant in 120 - 250 m off Cape Fria, Namibia
(Karrer, 1973).
100.6 Chatrabus melanurus: top: 25 em holotype of C. damaranus (Walvis Bay);
bottom: 17.5 em holotype of Tharbacus vanecki (Port Alfred).
Genus Perulibatrachus Roux & Whitley, 1971
Two species in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Prays 26; anterior nostril with a tuft of tentacles;
globules of glandular tissue on inner face of P ........... P. elminensis
Ib Prays 23; anterior nostril tubular with a simple
tentacle; no globules of glandular tissue on
inner face of P .................................................... P. rossignoli
100.7 Perulibatrachus elminensis
(Bleeker, 1863)
Guinean toadfish
Guinese-platannavis
Batrachus elminensis Bleeker, 1863: 98 (Guinea). Batrachus budkeri
Roux, 1957: 221 *. Parabatrachus elminensis: Roux, 1971: 633*. Perulibatrachus elminensis: Roux, 1981 *.
o III + 16-21; A 14-17; P 26. Gill cover with 4 strong spines. Upper LL
with 60 pores.
360
Ground colour dark brown on back, light brown on sides
and belly; a network of irregular brown lines covering entire
body except belly; soft D and A with oblique brown stripes.
Attains 35 cm. West African coast south to Walvis Bay.
100.7 Perulibatrachus elminensis: 24 em (after Raux, 1981).
100.8 Perulibatrachus rossignoli
(Roux, 1957)
Westcoast toadfish
Weskus-platannavis
Batrachus rossignoli Roux, 1957: 221*. Parabatrachus rossignoli:
Roux, 1971: 635*. Batrachus rossignoli: Lloris, 1981: 25. Perulibatrachus
rossignoli: Roux, 1981 *.
o III + 19; A 13-15; P23. Gill cover with 3 strong spines. Upper LL with
40 pores. Inner surface of P with diffuse glandular tissue.
Ground colour brownish, belly paler; 3-4 brown
crossbars on body and 2 on head; brown spots sometimes
spread over head and body. Attains 30 cm. West African
coast from Gabon to Namibia; one specimen reported from
off Walvis Bay.
100.8 Perulibatrachus rossignoli: 23 em (after Raux, 1981).
Genus Riekertia Smith, 1952
Only 1 species.
100.9 Riekertia ellisi
Smith,1952
Broadbodied toadfish
Breelyf-platannavis
Riekertia ellisi Smith, 1952: 325, Fig. 1 (Pondoland); 1953: 523, No.
1218a* .
o III + 19-20; A 15-17; P 24-25; vertebrae 11 + 18. Gill cover with 3 or 4
spines; upper LL pores 47-50. A patch of small embedded scales on body
from C base to just before anus, the patch narrowing anteriorly; rest of
body scaleless.