119: TRACHIPTERIDAE (RIBBONFISHES)
1b C of two parts: 6-12 dorsal rays often raised to
nearly a right angle above long axis of body,
and 1-5 ventral rays (rudimentary spiny nubbins
in Trachipterus); elongate spiny plates or bony
tubercles along ventral edge of tail ........................................ 2
2a LL runs along ventral edge of tail as a row of elongate
spiny plates; subadults «80 cm SL) with ventral edge
of body distinctly scalloped; body depth 1.5-2.9 in
distance from snout to anus .................................. .... ......... Zu
2b LL well above ventral edge of tail; bony tubercles,
but no elongate spiny plates along ventral edge
of tail; ventral edge of body straight; body
depth 3.7-4.1 in distance from snout to anus .............. Trachipterus
Genus Desmodema Walters & Fitch, 1960
Seven dorsal pterygiophores before 1st neural spine; no
predorsal bones; V well developed in young, absent in
adults. Two nostrils in prejuveniles; posterior one just
before margin of eye, becomes obliterated in juveniles and
adults. Two species, one in our area. D. forum Rosenblatt
& Butler, 1977 occurs in the North Pacific.
119.1 Desmodema polystictum
(Ogilby, 1897)
PLATE 17
Polka-dot ribbonfish
Gespikkelde lintvis
Trachipterus jacksoniensis polystictus Ogilby, 1897: 649 (Newcastle,
New South Wales, Australia). Trachipterus species: Smith, SFSA No.
264b (p. 504) . Trachipterus woodi Smith, 1953: 504, Fig. No. 264b (Xora
River mouth, Transkei); King & Ikehara, 1956: 22*; Smith 1966: 83* .
Desmodema polystictum: Rosenblatt & Butler, 1977: 848*; Heemstra &
Kannemeyer, 1984: 15*.
o 120-128; P 12-14; C 7-10; GR (2-3)+(9-10). Vertebrae: 71-74 total,
18-20 precaudal, 37-42 before anus. Eye diameter greater than snout
length (including upper jaw). Tail greatly prolonged in adults; snout to
anus distance about ~ SL in adults and about % SL in prejuveniles.
119.1 Desmodema polystietum: top: 9 em (tail missing) holotype of Traehipterus
woodi (Transkei); bottom: 104 em SL adult (drawn after Rosenblatt &
Butler. 1977).
400
Prejuveniles « 10 cm, snout to anus) silvery with numerous dark spots; attains 104 cm SL. Rare; known in our area
from 1 juvenile specimen washed ashore at Xora River and
1 found in a tide pool at Simonstown, False Bay; also
reported from Japan, Philippines, Australia, eastern tropical Pacific, and Florida (U.S.A.).
Genus Trachipterus Golian, 1770
No membranous flaps on D and V rays. One
pterygiophore before 1st neural spine and 9 between 1st and
2nd neural spines. Scales absent; tubercles along ventral
edge of body and tail enlarged and pointed. Nostrils single.
About 5 species, 2 in our area. The description of "Trachipterus articus" given by Smith (SFSA No. 265) could apply to
either of our species.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Prays 8-11; eye diameter 1.4-1.6 in lower jaw
length; tubercles indistinct except along ventral
edge of body and tail, not arranged in a row along
each side of 0 pterygiophores .... .. .... ... .. .. ........... T. trachypterus
1b Prays 13-14; eye 1.9-2.2 in lower jaw length;
tubercles distinct, those along ventral edge of body
and tail enlarged, pointed, and slightly curved;
tubercles in a row along each side of 0
pterygiophores .. ........ ... .............. ...... ......... ..... T. jacksonensis
119.2 Trachipterus jacksonensis
(Ramsay, 1881)
Blackflash ribbonfish
Swartstraal-lintvis
Regalaecus jacksonensis Ramsay, 1881: 631, PI. 20 (Manly, near Sydney, Australia). Trachipterus nigrifrons Smith, 1956: 449, Fig. & PI. 12
(East London); 1961 : 566, No. 264cj 1965: 18. Trachipterus jacksonensis:
Heemstra & Kannemeyer, 1984: 17* .
o 166-173; P 13-14; GR (3-5)+8. Vertebrae: 81-83 total, 31-34 precaudal, 44-48 before anus. Eye diameter 6.0-7.3% distance from snout to
anus; 5 slender canines on each side at front of lower jaw and 6 on each
side of upper jaw; 1 large canine on vomer and a smaller one at front of
each palatine.
Head and body silvery; front of head, interorbital area,
dorsal part of upper jaw, and tip of lower jaw are black.
Attains 200 cm . Rare; known from Australia, East London
and off Cape Town.
119.3 Trachipterus trachypterus
(Gmelin, 1789)
Peregrine ribbonfish
Rondswerwer-lintvis
Cepola trachyptera Gmelin, 1789: 1187 (Adriatic Sea) . Trachipterus
arcticus (non Briinnich); Barnard, 1948: 359*. ?Trachipterus iris: Smith,
SFSA No. 264*. Trachipterus trachypterus: Palmer, 1961: 342*; Heemstra
& Kannemeyer, 1984: 20"
o 145-184; P 9-11; GR (3-5)+ 10. Vertebrae: 84-96 total, 35-39 precaudal , 49-57 before anus. Eye diameter 8.4-8.9% distance from snout to
anus.
1b C of two parts: 6-12 dorsal rays often raised to
nearly a right angle above long axis of body,
and 1-5 ventral rays (rudimentary spiny nubbins
in Trachipterus); elongate spiny plates or bony
tubercles along ventral edge of tail ........................................ 2
2a LL runs along ventral edge of tail as a row of elongate
spiny plates; subadults «80 cm SL) with ventral edge
of body distinctly scalloped; body depth 1.5-2.9 in
distance from snout to anus .................................. .... ......... Zu
2b LL well above ventral edge of tail; bony tubercles,
but no elongate spiny plates along ventral edge
of tail; ventral edge of body straight; body
depth 3.7-4.1 in distance from snout to anus .............. Trachipterus
Genus Desmodema Walters & Fitch, 1960
Seven dorsal pterygiophores before 1st neural spine; no
predorsal bones; V well developed in young, absent in
adults. Two nostrils in prejuveniles; posterior one just
before margin of eye, becomes obliterated in juveniles and
adults. Two species, one in our area. D. forum Rosenblatt
& Butler, 1977 occurs in the North Pacific.
119.1 Desmodema polystictum
(Ogilby, 1897)
PLATE 17
Polka-dot ribbonfish
Gespikkelde lintvis
Trachipterus jacksoniensis polystictus Ogilby, 1897: 649 (Newcastle,
New South Wales, Australia). Trachipterus species: Smith, SFSA No.
264b (p. 504) . Trachipterus woodi Smith, 1953: 504, Fig. No. 264b (Xora
River mouth, Transkei); King & Ikehara, 1956: 22*; Smith 1966: 83* .
Desmodema polystictum: Rosenblatt & Butler, 1977: 848*; Heemstra &
Kannemeyer, 1984: 15*.
o 120-128; P 12-14; C 7-10; GR (2-3)+(9-10). Vertebrae: 71-74 total,
18-20 precaudal, 37-42 before anus. Eye diameter greater than snout
length (including upper jaw). Tail greatly prolonged in adults; snout to
anus distance about ~ SL in adults and about % SL in prejuveniles.
119.1 Desmodema polystietum: top: 9 em (tail missing) holotype of Traehipterus
woodi (Transkei); bottom: 104 em SL adult (drawn after Rosenblatt &
Butler. 1977).
400
Prejuveniles « 10 cm, snout to anus) silvery with numerous dark spots; attains 104 cm SL. Rare; known in our area
from 1 juvenile specimen washed ashore at Xora River and
1 found in a tide pool at Simonstown, False Bay; also
reported from Japan, Philippines, Australia, eastern tropical Pacific, and Florida (U.S.A.).
Genus Trachipterus Golian, 1770
No membranous flaps on D and V rays. One
pterygiophore before 1st neural spine and 9 between 1st and
2nd neural spines. Scales absent; tubercles along ventral
edge of body and tail enlarged and pointed. Nostrils single.
About 5 species, 2 in our area. The description of "Trachipterus articus" given by Smith (SFSA No. 265) could apply to
either of our species.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Prays 8-11; eye diameter 1.4-1.6 in lower jaw
length; tubercles indistinct except along ventral
edge of body and tail, not arranged in a row along
each side of 0 pterygiophores .... .. .... ... .. .. ........... T. trachypterus
1b Prays 13-14; eye 1.9-2.2 in lower jaw length;
tubercles distinct, those along ventral edge of body
and tail enlarged, pointed, and slightly curved;
tubercles in a row along each side of 0
pterygiophores .. ........ ... .............. ...... ......... ..... T. jacksonensis
119.2 Trachipterus jacksonensis
(Ramsay, 1881)
Blackflash ribbonfish
Swartstraal-lintvis
Regalaecus jacksonensis Ramsay, 1881: 631, PI. 20 (Manly, near Sydney, Australia). Trachipterus nigrifrons Smith, 1956: 449, Fig. & PI. 12
(East London); 1961 : 566, No. 264cj 1965: 18. Trachipterus jacksonensis:
Heemstra & Kannemeyer, 1984: 17* .
o 166-173; P 13-14; GR (3-5)+8. Vertebrae: 81-83 total, 31-34 precaudal, 44-48 before anus. Eye diameter 6.0-7.3% distance from snout to
anus; 5 slender canines on each side at front of lower jaw and 6 on each
side of upper jaw; 1 large canine on vomer and a smaller one at front of
each palatine.
Head and body silvery; front of head, interorbital area,
dorsal part of upper jaw, and tip of lower jaw are black.
Attains 200 cm . Rare; known from Australia, East London
and off Cape Town.
119.3 Trachipterus trachypterus
(Gmelin, 1789)
Peregrine ribbonfish
Rondswerwer-lintvis
Cepola trachyptera Gmelin, 1789: 1187 (Adriatic Sea) . Trachipterus
arcticus (non Briinnich); Barnard, 1948: 359*. ?Trachipterus iris: Smith,
SFSA No. 264*. Trachipterus trachypterus: Palmer, 1961: 342*; Heemstra
& Kannemeyer, 1984: 20"
o 145-184; P 9-11; GR (3-5)+ 10. Vertebrae: 84-96 total, 35-39 precaudal , 49-57 before anus. Eye diameter 8.4-8.9% distance from snout to
anus.