119: TRACHIPTERIDAE (RIBBONFISHES)
our area from prejuveniles collected off Liideritz, Algoa
Bay and Durban.
119.5 Zu elongatus
Heemstra & Kannemeyer, 1984
Taper-tail ribbonfish
Spitsstert-lintvis
Zu elongatus Heemstra & Kannemeyer, 1984: 29, Figs. 9-11 (off Cape
Columbine, western Cape Province).
o 142-147; P 11-12; V 7; GR (2-3)+(7-9); LL127-130. Vertebrae: 84-87
total, 29-31 precaudal, 38-40 before anus. Eye diameter 1.7-2.0 in length
of lower jaw.
Colour in alcohol: (Adult) body tan; front of head with
triangular dark area extending onto lips and gular region;
posterior D rays black; C black, base of fin pale. (Prejuvenile, 48 cm SL) body silvery, with 3 incomplete dark
crossbars; 5 dark bars on tail; front of head with dark area as
in adult. Attains at least 120 cm. Known from 4 specimens
trawled off the western Cape coast; also reported from New
Zealand.
Family No. 120: RADIiCEPHALIDAE
by p.e. Heemstra & S.X. Kannemeyer
Tapertail
Spitsstert
Body elongate, strongly compressed, the depth decreasing gradually from head to tail. Dorsal fin origin over front
of eye. Anus well before midpoint of body. Anal fin
rudimentary, about halfway between anus and last vertebra. Pelvic fins rudimentary in adults. Lateral line continued past last vertebra where the canals of either side are
joined to form a large, thin-walled tube carried on the
greatly elongated "rays" that emanate from the ventral surface of the last 3 vertebrae. Upper jaw very protrusile. Skin
with scattered soft papillae and numerous pores. Swimbladder well developed; ink sac empties into cloaca.
A single species is known.
Tapertail
120.1 Radiicephalus elongatus
Osorio, 1917
Spitsstert
Radiicephalus elangatus Osorio, 1917: 114, Figs. 2-4; Walters, 1963:
456; Harrisson & Palmer, 1968: 185*; Karrer, 1976: 179*; Heemstra &
Kannemeyer, 1983: 35 .
0150-160; A 7; P 10; GR 3+8. Body depth 8-10, head length 6-7 in SL;
eye 3.4-4.0 in head. Total vertebrae 119-121, precaudal 38-39, preanal
44-45. Several small sharp teeth at front of jaws, 3 on vomer and 2 or 3 on
each palatine.
Body and tail silvery in life; D base blackish. Attains 70
cm. Known from a few specimens collected in the Atlantic,
402
from the Azores and Morocco south to 70 miles SW of Cape
Point; also reported from off New Guinea.
120.1 Radiicephalus elongatus: 31 em SL (off Cape Point).
Family No. 121: LOPHOTIDAE
by p.e. Heemstra
Crestfishes
Kuifvisse
Body very elongate, ribbon-like; scales small, deciduous.
Pelvic fins rudimentary or absent; anal fin small or minute,
near caudal and just behind cloaca. Jaws with small teeth;
upper jaw slightly protrusile. Swimbladder present; ink sac
posterior to swimbladder, empties into cloaca.
Two mono typic genera, Eumecichthys Regan, 1907 and
Lophotus Giorna, 1809; both occur in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Top of head greatly produced forwards as a long
rostrum in front of mouth; body depth 19-30 in
SL; A rudimentary ............................. ..... .... Eumecichthys fiski
1b Head not greatly produced forwards; body depth
5-8 in SL; A small, but distinct .............. ... ...... Laphotus lacepede
121.1 Eumecichthys fiski
(Gunther, 1890)
Unicorn crestfish
Eenhoring-kuifvis
Lophotes fiski Gunther, 1890: 246, Pis. 19 & 20 (Kalk Bay, False Bay);
Smith, SFSA No. 267*. Eumecichthysfiski: Walters & Fitch, 1960: 444;
Parin & Pokhil'skaya, 1968: 808*.
o 310-392; A 5-9; P 13-15; C 12-13. First 3 or 4 0 rays produced into a
long pennant; A minute, split longitudinally in adults into 2 rows of nubbins; ventralmost C ray enlarged, bony; V absent.
Head and body silvery, with 24-60 dark sub-vertical
bands; D and C crimson. Attains 130 cm. Rare, but widely
distributed from South Africa to India, Japan, Hawaii and
Mexico; in our area, known only from the holotype taken in
False Bay.
our area from prejuveniles collected off Liideritz, Algoa
Bay and Durban.
119.5 Zu elongatus
Heemstra & Kannemeyer, 1984
Taper-tail ribbonfish
Spitsstert-lintvis
Zu elongatus Heemstra & Kannemeyer, 1984: 29, Figs. 9-11 (off Cape
Columbine, western Cape Province).
o 142-147; P 11-12; V 7; GR (2-3)+(7-9); LL127-130. Vertebrae: 84-87
total, 29-31 precaudal, 38-40 before anus. Eye diameter 1.7-2.0 in length
of lower jaw.
Colour in alcohol: (Adult) body tan; front of head with
triangular dark area extending onto lips and gular region;
posterior D rays black; C black, base of fin pale. (Prejuvenile, 48 cm SL) body silvery, with 3 incomplete dark
crossbars; 5 dark bars on tail; front of head with dark area as
in adult. Attains at least 120 cm. Known from 4 specimens
trawled off the western Cape coast; also reported from New
Zealand.
Family No. 120: RADIiCEPHALIDAE
by p.e. Heemstra & S.X. Kannemeyer
Tapertail
Spitsstert
Body elongate, strongly compressed, the depth decreasing gradually from head to tail. Dorsal fin origin over front
of eye. Anus well before midpoint of body. Anal fin
rudimentary, about halfway between anus and last vertebra. Pelvic fins rudimentary in adults. Lateral line continued past last vertebra where the canals of either side are
joined to form a large, thin-walled tube carried on the
greatly elongated "rays" that emanate from the ventral surface of the last 3 vertebrae. Upper jaw very protrusile. Skin
with scattered soft papillae and numerous pores. Swimbladder well developed; ink sac empties into cloaca.
A single species is known.
Tapertail
120.1 Radiicephalus elongatus
Osorio, 1917
Spitsstert
Radiicephalus elangatus Osorio, 1917: 114, Figs. 2-4; Walters, 1963:
456; Harrisson & Palmer, 1968: 185*; Karrer, 1976: 179*; Heemstra &
Kannemeyer, 1983: 35 .
0150-160; A 7; P 10; GR 3+8. Body depth 8-10, head length 6-7 in SL;
eye 3.4-4.0 in head. Total vertebrae 119-121, precaudal 38-39, preanal
44-45. Several small sharp teeth at front of jaws, 3 on vomer and 2 or 3 on
each palatine.
Body and tail silvery in life; D base blackish. Attains 70
cm. Known from a few specimens collected in the Atlantic,
402
from the Azores and Morocco south to 70 miles SW of Cape
Point; also reported from off New Guinea.
120.1 Radiicephalus elongatus: 31 em SL (off Cape Point).
Family No. 121: LOPHOTIDAE
by p.e. Heemstra
Crestfishes
Kuifvisse
Body very elongate, ribbon-like; scales small, deciduous.
Pelvic fins rudimentary or absent; anal fin small or minute,
near caudal and just behind cloaca. Jaws with small teeth;
upper jaw slightly protrusile. Swimbladder present; ink sac
posterior to swimbladder, empties into cloaca.
Two mono typic genera, Eumecichthys Regan, 1907 and
Lophotus Giorna, 1809; both occur in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Top of head greatly produced forwards as a long
rostrum in front of mouth; body depth 19-30 in
SL; A rudimentary ............................. ..... .... Eumecichthys fiski
1b Head not greatly produced forwards; body depth
5-8 in SL; A small, but distinct .............. ... ...... Laphotus lacepede
121.1 Eumecichthys fiski
(Gunther, 1890)
Unicorn crestfish
Eenhoring-kuifvis
Lophotes fiski Gunther, 1890: 246, Pis. 19 & 20 (Kalk Bay, False Bay);
Smith, SFSA No. 267*. Eumecichthysfiski: Walters & Fitch, 1960: 444;
Parin & Pokhil'skaya, 1968: 808*.
o 310-392; A 5-9; P 13-15; C 12-13. First 3 or 4 0 rays produced into a
long pennant; A minute, split longitudinally in adults into 2 rows of nubbins; ventralmost C ray enlarged, bony; V absent.
Head and body silvery, with 24-60 dark sub-vertical
bands; D and C crimson. Attains 130 cm. Rare, but widely
distributed from South Africa to India, Japan, Hawaii and
Mexico; in our area, known only from the holotype taken in
False Bay.