113.4 Tylosurus crocodilus: 54 em (drawn by Mildred H. Carrington).
113.3 Strongylura leiura
(Bleeker, 1851)
PLATE 16
Yellowfin needlefish
Geelvin-naaldvis
Belone leiurus Bleeker, 1851: 94 (Java). Belone natalensis Giinther,
1866: 243 (Durban). Tylosurus leiurus: Smith, SFSA No. 228*. Strongyl·
ura leiura leiura: Parin, 1967: 31 *; Cressey & Collette, 1970: 401; van der
Elst, 1981: 108*.
D 18·21; A 22·26; P 11·12; predorsal scales 121·152; vertebrae
(49·52)+(30·32) = 80·83. Depth 8.9·12.2, head 1.8·2.1 in BL. Parin
(1967) recognised the Australian population as a separate subspecies,
S. leiuraferox (Giinther) based on its higher counts of D & A rays.
Back greenish, sides silvery, grading into white ventrally.
A black bar on cheek between opercle and preopercle.
D and A lobes yellowish with some melanophores along
middle of rays. P dark distally, the tip yellow. Attains 46 cm
BL (73 cm SL) in the Indian Ocean; 56 cm BL (79 cm SL) in
Australia. Inshore and in estuaries from Durban to Persian
Gulf and east through Indian waters to Philippines, southern China, Australia and Fiji.
Genus Ty/osurus Cocco, 1833
Five species; 1 in our area. Tylosurus acus melanotus
(Bleeker, 1850) may extend south into our area. It differs
from T. crocodilus in having more fin rays (D 24-27, A
22-24) and vertebrae (90-95), relatively low D and A lobes
(10.5-13 .3 and 9.7-11.7 times in BL respectively vs. 5.4-10.6
and 5.5-8.0), and shorter P and V (8.0-12.4 and 10.0-14.1
times in BL respectively vs. 6.6-8.3 and 7.3-10.6). Fowler's
record (1925) of Strongylura melanotus from Delagoa Bay
(see Smith, SFSA No. 230) is based on a specimen of T.
crocodilus.
113.4 Tylosurus crocodilus crocodilus
(Peron & LeSueur, 1821)
Crocodile needlefish
Krokodil-naaldvis
Belone crocodila Peron & LeSueur in LeSueur, 1821: 129 (Mauritius).
Belone robusta (non Giinther): Regan, 1908: 243. Tylosurus choram (non
Riippell): Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908: 200. Tylosuruscrocodilus: Smith,
SFSA No. 229; Collette & Parin, 1970: 52 *. Tylosurus crocodilus
crocodilus: Parin, 1967: 58*.
D 21·24; A 19·22; P 14·15; predorsal scales 271-340; vertebrae (54-57)
+(29-30) = 82-86. Depth 8.8-14.1, head 2.1·2.5 in BL. C lower lobe much
longer than upper.
114: SCOMBERESOCIDAE (SAURIES)
Back dark bluish, sides silvery, grading into white ventrally. A black spot sometimes present distally in P.
Juveniles and subadults with enlarged melanistic posterior
lobe in D. Prominent raised black keel on caudal peduncle.
Attains at least 86 cm BL (125 cm SL). Previously reported
south to Durban, but now known to occur south to Knysna.
This subspecies is widely distributed in the Atlantic and
Indo-West Pacific in tropical and subtropical waters. It is
replaced in the eastern tropical Pacific by T. c. Jodiator
Jordan & Gilbert, 1881.
Family No. 114: SCOMBERESOCIDAE
by M.M. Smith
Sauries
Sauries
Body elongate, compressed, covered with small, thin
scales. Dorsal and anal fins set far back on the body with 4-6
finlets behind. Lower jaw longer (adults of the 2 species in
our area have jaws produced to form long slender beaks).
Four monotypic genera; the 2 from the Pacific, Cololabis
Gill, 1896 and Elassichthys Hubbs & Wisner, 1980 have
jaws little produced into blunt beaks. Recent revision of
family by Hubbs & Wisner, 1980.
KEY TO GENERA
la GR less closely spaced, 19-26; P 10·11; C peduncle
depth about Yz its length; attains 13 cm SL ...... ...... ...... Nanichthys
Ib GR close together, 34·51; P 12·15; C peduncle
depth about equal to its length; large, attains
50 cm SL .......... .... .................... .... ................... . Scomberesox
Genus Nanichthys Hubbs & Wisner, 1980
Teeth in upper jaw biserial in front, uniserial behind; in
lower jaw uniserial in front and biserial behind; gas bladder
absent; single median ovary with relatively large eggs.
Monotypic.
Dwarf saury
114.1 Nanichthys simulans
Hubbs & Wisner, 1980
Dwerg-saurie
Nanichthys simulans Hubbs & Wisner, 1980: 531, Fig. 5 (south central
Atlantic Ocean; 24°02.5'S , 15°32.0'W).
387
113.3 Strongylura leiura
(Bleeker, 1851)
PLATE 16
Yellowfin needlefish
Geelvin-naaldvis
Belone leiurus Bleeker, 1851: 94 (Java). Belone natalensis Giinther,
1866: 243 (Durban). Tylosurus leiurus: Smith, SFSA No. 228*. Strongyl·
ura leiura leiura: Parin, 1967: 31 *; Cressey & Collette, 1970: 401; van der
Elst, 1981: 108*.
D 18·21; A 22·26; P 11·12; predorsal scales 121·152; vertebrae
(49·52)+(30·32) = 80·83. Depth 8.9·12.2, head 1.8·2.1 in BL. Parin
(1967) recognised the Australian population as a separate subspecies,
S. leiuraferox (Giinther) based on its higher counts of D & A rays.
Back greenish, sides silvery, grading into white ventrally.
A black bar on cheek between opercle and preopercle.
D and A lobes yellowish with some melanophores along
middle of rays. P dark distally, the tip yellow. Attains 46 cm
BL (73 cm SL) in the Indian Ocean; 56 cm BL (79 cm SL) in
Australia. Inshore and in estuaries from Durban to Persian
Gulf and east through Indian waters to Philippines, southern China, Australia and Fiji.
Genus Ty/osurus Cocco, 1833
Five species; 1 in our area. Tylosurus acus melanotus
(Bleeker, 1850) may extend south into our area. It differs
from T. crocodilus in having more fin rays (D 24-27, A
22-24) and vertebrae (90-95), relatively low D and A lobes
(10.5-13 .3 and 9.7-11.7 times in BL respectively vs. 5.4-10.6
and 5.5-8.0), and shorter P and V (8.0-12.4 and 10.0-14.1
times in BL respectively vs. 6.6-8.3 and 7.3-10.6). Fowler's
record (1925) of Strongylura melanotus from Delagoa Bay
(see Smith, SFSA No. 230) is based on a specimen of T.
crocodilus.
113.4 Tylosurus crocodilus crocodilus
(Peron & LeSueur, 1821)
Crocodile needlefish
Krokodil-naaldvis
Belone crocodila Peron & LeSueur in LeSueur, 1821: 129 (Mauritius).
Belone robusta (non Giinther): Regan, 1908: 243. Tylosurus choram (non
Riippell): Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908: 200. Tylosuruscrocodilus: Smith,
SFSA No. 229; Collette & Parin, 1970: 52 *. Tylosurus crocodilus
crocodilus: Parin, 1967: 58*.
D 21·24; A 19·22; P 14·15; predorsal scales 271-340; vertebrae (54-57)
+(29-30) = 82-86. Depth 8.8-14.1, head 2.1·2.5 in BL. C lower lobe much
longer than upper.
114: SCOMBERESOCIDAE (SAURIES)
Back dark bluish, sides silvery, grading into white ventrally. A black spot sometimes present distally in P.
Juveniles and subadults with enlarged melanistic posterior
lobe in D. Prominent raised black keel on caudal peduncle.
Attains at least 86 cm BL (125 cm SL). Previously reported
south to Durban, but now known to occur south to Knysna.
This subspecies is widely distributed in the Atlantic and
Indo-West Pacific in tropical and subtropical waters. It is
replaced in the eastern tropical Pacific by T. c. Jodiator
Jordan & Gilbert, 1881.
Family No. 114: SCOMBERESOCIDAE
by M.M. Smith
Sauries
Sauries
Body elongate, compressed, covered with small, thin
scales. Dorsal and anal fins set far back on the body with 4-6
finlets behind. Lower jaw longer (adults of the 2 species in
our area have jaws produced to form long slender beaks).
Four monotypic genera; the 2 from the Pacific, Cololabis
Gill, 1896 and Elassichthys Hubbs & Wisner, 1980 have
jaws little produced into blunt beaks. Recent revision of
family by Hubbs & Wisner, 1980.
KEY TO GENERA
la GR less closely spaced, 19-26; P 10·11; C peduncle
depth about Yz its length; attains 13 cm SL ...... ...... ...... Nanichthys
Ib GR close together, 34·51; P 12·15; C peduncle
depth about equal to its length; large, attains
50 cm SL .......... .... .................... .... ................... . Scomberesox
Genus Nanichthys Hubbs & Wisner, 1980
Teeth in upper jaw biserial in front, uniserial behind; in
lower jaw uniserial in front and biserial behind; gas bladder
absent; single median ovary with relatively large eggs.
Monotypic.
Dwarf saury
114.1 Nanichthys simulans
Hubbs & Wisner, 1980
Dwerg-saurie
Nanichthys simulans Hubbs & Wisner, 1980: 531, Fig. 5 (south central
Atlantic Ocean; 24°02.5'S , 15°32.0'W).
387