119: TRACHIPTERIDAE (RIBBONFISHES)
119.2 Trachipterus jacksonensis: 21 cm holotype of T nigrifrons (East London); arrow indicates anus.
Head and body silvery; front of head, interorbital area,
dorsal part of upper jaw, and tip of lower jaw are black;
young with 3-5 dark blotches on sides of body; dusky blotch
usually visible on body at bases of 20-28th D rays. Attains
213 cm. Rare, but widely distributed from Mediterranean
Sea to South Africa (off Table Bay), Japan and New Zealand.
119.3 Trachipterus trachypterus: 212.5 cm SL (off Cape Town; after Barnard.
1948).
Genus Zu Walters & Fitch, 1960
Young with V and anterior 6 D rays greatly prolonged,
bearing membranous flaps. Anterior D pterygiophores and
neural spines as in Trachipterus. Scales present, though
very deciduous, and not apparent in prejuveniles. Body of
juveniles compressed, belly distinctly scalloped; belly of
adults nearly straight, but with a low fleshy keel from V
rudiments to anus. Body of adults fairly robust (less compressed than other trachipterids) , dorsal Crays 6-12, 1-5
lower rays. Vertebrae 63-69 or 85-86. The very long Vofthe
prejuvenile stage become shorter with growth and are represented by tiny rudiments in the adult. The spiny LL scales
along the tail resemble the bucklers (dermal dentic1es) of
some skates. Zu was the Babylonian God of Storms and is a
fitting name for a trachipterid, since these fishes are known
mainly from individuals found thrown ashore in the wake of
storms. Two species, both in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Body depth 12-16% SL; prejuveniles with body
not abruptly constricted behind vent; eye 9-10%
of distance from snout to anus; LL plates 126-130 .. .... Zu elongatus
Ib Body depth 20-26% SL; prejuveniles with body
abruptly constricted behind vent; eye 13-16% of
distance from snout to anus; LL plates 99-106 ............. Zu cristatus
119.4 Zu cristatus
(Bonelli,1820)
PLATE 17
Scalloped ribbonfish
Skulprand-lintvis
Trachypterus cristatus Bonelli, 1820: 487 (Gulf of Spezia, Mediterranean); Smith, SFSA No. 264a*. Zu cristatus: Walters & Fitch, 1960: 445;
Palmer, 1961: 346; Fitch, 1964: 229*; Karrer, 1975: 72; Heemstra & Kannemeyer, 1984: 23*.
o 120-150; P 10-12; V 5-7; GR (2-3)+(8-9); LL 99-106. Vertebrae:
63-69 total, 22-24 precaudal, 32 before anus. Eye diameter 1.3-1.7 in
length of lower jaw. Upper jaw with 12-18 slender canines, 8-16 in lower
jaw; vomer with 1-4 and palatines with 1-3 canines.
Young silvery, with about 6 wavy dark vertical bars on
dorsal part of body and 4 on ventral part; tail with about 6
complete black bars; C mostly blackish, base of fin pale.
Adults silvery grey, paler ventrally; D scarlet; C reddish
black, darker distally. Attains 118 cm SL. Reported from
Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, and Pacific Ocean; known in
119.4 Zu cristatus: ca. 10 em juvenile swimming in ocean (Durban; based on sketch by Len Jones).
119.5 Zu elongatus: 113.5 cm SL paratype (off Cape Town) .
401
119.2 Trachipterus jacksonensis: 21 cm holotype of T nigrifrons (East London); arrow indicates anus.
Head and body silvery; front of head, interorbital area,
dorsal part of upper jaw, and tip of lower jaw are black;
young with 3-5 dark blotches on sides of body; dusky blotch
usually visible on body at bases of 20-28th D rays. Attains
213 cm. Rare, but widely distributed from Mediterranean
Sea to South Africa (off Table Bay), Japan and New Zealand.
119.3 Trachipterus trachypterus: 212.5 cm SL (off Cape Town; after Barnard.
1948).
Genus Zu Walters & Fitch, 1960
Young with V and anterior 6 D rays greatly prolonged,
bearing membranous flaps. Anterior D pterygiophores and
neural spines as in Trachipterus. Scales present, though
very deciduous, and not apparent in prejuveniles. Body of
juveniles compressed, belly distinctly scalloped; belly of
adults nearly straight, but with a low fleshy keel from V
rudiments to anus. Body of adults fairly robust (less compressed than other trachipterids) , dorsal Crays 6-12, 1-5
lower rays. Vertebrae 63-69 or 85-86. The very long Vofthe
prejuvenile stage become shorter with growth and are represented by tiny rudiments in the adult. The spiny LL scales
along the tail resemble the bucklers (dermal dentic1es) of
some skates. Zu was the Babylonian God of Storms and is a
fitting name for a trachipterid, since these fishes are known
mainly from individuals found thrown ashore in the wake of
storms. Two species, both in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Body depth 12-16% SL; prejuveniles with body
not abruptly constricted behind vent; eye 9-10%
of distance from snout to anus; LL plates 126-130 .. .... Zu elongatus
Ib Body depth 20-26% SL; prejuveniles with body
abruptly constricted behind vent; eye 13-16% of
distance from snout to anus; LL plates 99-106 ............. Zu cristatus
119.4 Zu cristatus
(Bonelli,1820)
PLATE 17
Scalloped ribbonfish
Skulprand-lintvis
Trachypterus cristatus Bonelli, 1820: 487 (Gulf of Spezia, Mediterranean); Smith, SFSA No. 264a*. Zu cristatus: Walters & Fitch, 1960: 445;
Palmer, 1961: 346; Fitch, 1964: 229*; Karrer, 1975: 72; Heemstra & Kannemeyer, 1984: 23*.
o 120-150; P 10-12; V 5-7; GR (2-3)+(8-9); LL 99-106. Vertebrae:
63-69 total, 22-24 precaudal, 32 before anus. Eye diameter 1.3-1.7 in
length of lower jaw. Upper jaw with 12-18 slender canines, 8-16 in lower
jaw; vomer with 1-4 and palatines with 1-3 canines.
Young silvery, with about 6 wavy dark vertical bars on
dorsal part of body and 4 on ventral part; tail with about 6
complete black bars; C mostly blackish, base of fin pale.
Adults silvery grey, paler ventrally; D scarlet; C reddish
black, darker distally. Attains 118 cm SL. Reported from
Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, and Pacific Ocean; known in
119.4 Zu cristatus: ca. 10 em juvenile swimming in ocean (Durban; based on sketch by Len Jones).
119.5 Zu elongatus: 113.5 cm SL paratype (off Cape Town) .
401