112: NOTOCHEIRIDAE (SURF SPRITES)
Family No. 112: NOTOCHEIRIDAE
by W. Ivantsoff
Surf sprites
Branderfeetjie
Body very compressed, forming a sharp keel ventrally;
greatest body depth just behind head, then tapering rapidly
backwards to caudal peduncle. Protrusibility of premaxilla
restricted by frenum; ascending process of premaxilla short.
Slit present behind last gill. Anal fin with 20-28 branched
rays. Cleithrum long, extending downwards to keel. Scales
small and numerous, absent on head and front part of body
in Iso.
Two genera; Iso in our area and Notocheirus Clark, 1937
from Chile. The name Notocheirinae of Schultz (1950) has
priority over Isonidae of Rosen (1964).
Genus Iso Jordan & Starks, 1901
Five species; 1 in our area.
112.1 Iso natalensis: 6.5 em (Port Alfred) .
384
Surf sprite
112.1 Iso natalensis
Regan, 1919
PLATE 16
Branderfeetjie
Iso natalensis Regan, 1919: 200, Fig. 3 (Durban, Natal); Smith , SFSA
No. 891*; 1965: 604*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 96*'
DIll-VI + 1,12-17; A 1,21-28; P 1,12-14; 10werGR 10-12. Scales approximately 40-60. Depth 3.3-3.4; head 4.2-5.5. Eye 2.5-3.6 in head. Numerous specimens from Africa, Comores, Pakistan and India (including the
types of l. natalensis and l. flosindicus Herre , 1944) have been examined
and found to be indistinguishable from one another.
Translucent with silver lower head and band along side to
silver spot on C peduncle and viscera enclosed in silver; difficult to observe when in water. Preserved specimens milky,
yellow or yellow brown. Midlateral stripe, opercle, eye and
abdomen either silvery or brown. Interdorsal space black.
Attains 8 cm. Frequently found in large numbers in boiling
surf, close to shoreline. Widely distributed in Indian Ocean;
extends south to Cape Agulhas.
Family No. 112: NOTOCHEIRIDAE
by W. Ivantsoff
Surf sprites
Branderfeetjie
Body very compressed, forming a sharp keel ventrally;
greatest body depth just behind head, then tapering rapidly
backwards to caudal peduncle. Protrusibility of premaxilla
restricted by frenum; ascending process of premaxilla short.
Slit present behind last gill. Anal fin with 20-28 branched
rays. Cleithrum long, extending downwards to keel. Scales
small and numerous, absent on head and front part of body
in Iso.
Two genera; Iso in our area and Notocheirus Clark, 1937
from Chile. The name Notocheirinae of Schultz (1950) has
priority over Isonidae of Rosen (1964).
Genus Iso Jordan & Starks, 1901
Five species; 1 in our area.
112.1 Iso natalensis: 6.5 em (Port Alfred) .
384
Surf sprite
112.1 Iso natalensis
Regan, 1919
PLATE 16
Branderfeetjie
Iso natalensis Regan, 1919: 200, Fig. 3 (Durban, Natal); Smith , SFSA
No. 891*; 1965: 604*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 96*'
DIll-VI + 1,12-17; A 1,21-28; P 1,12-14; 10werGR 10-12. Scales approximately 40-60. Depth 3.3-3.4; head 4.2-5.5. Eye 2.5-3.6 in head. Numerous specimens from Africa, Comores, Pakistan and India (including the
types of l. natalensis and l. flosindicus Herre , 1944) have been examined
and found to be indistinguishable from one another.
Translucent with silver lower head and band along side to
silver spot on C peduncle and viscera enclosed in silver; difficult to observe when in water. Preserved specimens milky,
yellow or yellow brown. Midlateral stripe, opercle, eye and
abdomen either silvery or brown. Interdorsal space black.
Attains 8 cm. Frequently found in large numbers in boiling
surf, close to shoreline. Widely distributed in Indian Ocean;
extends south to Cape Agulhas.