132: HOLOCENTRIDAE (SQUIRRELFISHES. SOLDIERFISHES)
o XIII2-14; A IV,9-1O; P 13-14; LL 39-44; oblique rows of cheek scales
4; GR (6-8)+(12-14). Body depth subequal to head length, 2.7-3.0 in SL.
Front end of nasal bone with 2 short diverging spines, the posterior part
without spinules; preopercular spine about 73 orbit diameter.
Body silvery pink with longitudinal red stripes; spinous D
pink with a submarginal dark red band, the membranes
tipped with white. Attains 16 cm. Rare. Indo-West Pacific:
Christmas Id. (eastern Indian Ocean), Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea to the Society Ids.; in the western Indian
Ocean known only from 1 specimen from Mozambique Id.,
3 from Chagos Archipelago and 1 from the Comores.
132.19 Sargocentron violaceum
(Bleeker, 1853)
PLATES 20 & 21
White-edged squirrelfish
Witrand-soldaat
Holocentrum violaceum Bleeker, 1853: 335 (Ambon). Holocentrus violaceus: Smith & Smith, 1963: 9*. Sargocentron violaceus: Randall &
Heemstra, 1985: 21 *.
o XII12-14 (usually 14); A IV,9; P 13"14; LL 33-37; oblique rows of
cheek scales 4-5; GR (6-8)+(12-13). Body deep, the depth 2.3-2.6 in SL;
head length distinctly less than body depth, 2.6-3.0 in SL. Front end of
nasal bone with 2 short diverging spines, the posterior part usually without
spinuJes; edge of nasal fossa with 1-3 spinules; preopercle spine sub equal
to orbit diameter. Spinous 0 membrane not incised between the spines.
Body brownish to purplish red, each scale with a vertical
silvery white line; head primarily red, membrane along
upperlrear edge of opercle blackish; spinous D membrane
pale red, the membrane tips white, with a submarginal scarlet line. Attains 25 cm. Tropical Indo-West Pacific; known
in the Indian Ocean only from Aldabra, Seychelles, Chagos
Archipelago and the Laccadive Ids.
Subfamily MYRIPRISTINAE
Soldierfishes
Soldaatvisse
KEY TO GENERA
la 0 spines 11; 0 divided to the base between spines
10 and 11; lower-limb GR 19-32 ............................... Myripristis
Ib 0 spines 12 (Ostichthys delta with 11); 0 continuous,
though deeply notched; lower-limb GR 11-18 .......................... 2
2a Premaxillary groove (between nasal bones) broadly
V-shaped ............................................................. Ostichthys
2b Premaxillary groove narrow and elongate or rhomboidal ........... 3
3a LL 28-30; preorbital bone with sharp spines
overhanging upper jaw; a small tooth patch on
posteroventral surface of premaxillary symphysis
(§ee Fig. 132.35, p. 427) ........................................... Pristilepis
3b LL 32-42; preorbital without spines overhanging
upper jaw; no tooth patch on premaxillary
symphysis ........................................................... Plectrypops
422
Genus Myripristis Cuvier, 1829
No enlarged spine at angle of preopercle; vertebrae 26;
penultimate D spine shortest. Twenty-one species (1 Atlantic, 3 eastern Pacific, the rest Indo-Pacific, 1 of which
also ranges to the eastern Pacific); 7 species in our area; 4
others are known from islands of the western Indian Ocean,
including Mauritius and/or Reunion; these 4 additional
species are included in this account as they may be found in
our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la LL 26-32
Ib LL32-44
....................................................................... 2
2a A single scale (rarely 2) on inner (medial) side
of P base; margin of median fins broadly black
(broadest on lobes of C and elevated parts of
soft 0 and A); spinous 0 blackish with a
8
submarginal unpigmented zone; size to 25 cm SL ......... M. adusta
2b Either no scales or numerous scales in axil of P;
margins of median fins not black (although there
may be a black blotch or streak distally on C
lobes or on elevated parts of soft 0 and A);
spinous 0 not blackish ...................................................... 3
3a Two pairs of symphysial tooth patches, one
above the other, at tip of lower jaw just outside
mouth (lower pair usually absent in specimens
smaller than 9 em SL; LL 25-29 ........................................... 4
3b A single pair of tooth patches (Ion each side
of symphysis) at tip of lower jaw just outside
gape; LL 27-32 ................................................................ 5
4a Small scales on inner side of P base; total
GR 36-43; no black markings on fins; maximum
size, 16 cm SL .................................................. M. hexagona
4b No scales on inner side of P base; prominent
black blotch distally on C lobes and elevated
portions of soft 0 and A; total GR 32-38;
maximum size, 24 cm SL ................................ M. melanosticta
Sa Scales on upper part of body with broad
blackish rims (deep purplish or blue to dark
brown in life); interorbital space and nape
almost completely dark; upper-limb GR 12-16
(modally 14); LL 27-29 ........................................ M. vio/acea
5b Scales on upper part of body without blackish rims;
upper-limb GR 11-15 (modally 12 or 13); LL 27-32
(modally 29, except seychellensis with 28) ............................. 6
6a Jaws equal or lower jaw slightly inferior when
mouth fully closed; posterior border of vomerine
tooth patch rounded (at least in adults);
Drays 15 .................................................... M. seychellensis
6b Lower jaw projecting when mouth closed (except
juveniles); posterior border of vomerine tooth patch
usually straight; 0 rays 13-15 ............................................. 7
7a Least bony interorbital width 4.3-5.8 in head;
horizontal diameter of orbit = vertical diameter;
a broad orangish yellow zone on outer part of
spinous 0 .......................................................... M. berndti
7b Least bony interorbital width 3.7-4.4 in head;
horizontal diameter of orbit < vertical diameter;
outer part of spinous 0 red .................................. M. murdjan
o XIII2-14; A IV,9-1O; P 13-14; LL 39-44; oblique rows of cheek scales
4; GR (6-8)+(12-14). Body depth subequal to head length, 2.7-3.0 in SL.
Front end of nasal bone with 2 short diverging spines, the posterior part
without spinules; preopercular spine about 73 orbit diameter.
Body silvery pink with longitudinal red stripes; spinous D
pink with a submarginal dark red band, the membranes
tipped with white. Attains 16 cm. Rare. Indo-West Pacific:
Christmas Id. (eastern Indian Ocean), Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea to the Society Ids.; in the western Indian
Ocean known only from 1 specimen from Mozambique Id.,
3 from Chagos Archipelago and 1 from the Comores.
132.19 Sargocentron violaceum
(Bleeker, 1853)
PLATES 20 & 21
White-edged squirrelfish
Witrand-soldaat
Holocentrum violaceum Bleeker, 1853: 335 (Ambon). Holocentrus violaceus: Smith & Smith, 1963: 9*. Sargocentron violaceus: Randall &
Heemstra, 1985: 21 *.
o XII12-14 (usually 14); A IV,9; P 13"14; LL 33-37; oblique rows of
cheek scales 4-5; GR (6-8)+(12-13). Body deep, the depth 2.3-2.6 in SL;
head length distinctly less than body depth, 2.6-3.0 in SL. Front end of
nasal bone with 2 short diverging spines, the posterior part usually without
spinuJes; edge of nasal fossa with 1-3 spinules; preopercle spine sub equal
to orbit diameter. Spinous 0 membrane not incised between the spines.
Body brownish to purplish red, each scale with a vertical
silvery white line; head primarily red, membrane along
upperlrear edge of opercle blackish; spinous D membrane
pale red, the membrane tips white, with a submarginal scarlet line. Attains 25 cm. Tropical Indo-West Pacific; known
in the Indian Ocean only from Aldabra, Seychelles, Chagos
Archipelago and the Laccadive Ids.
Subfamily MYRIPRISTINAE
Soldierfishes
Soldaatvisse
KEY TO GENERA
la 0 spines 11; 0 divided to the base between spines
10 and 11; lower-limb GR 19-32 ............................... Myripristis
Ib 0 spines 12 (Ostichthys delta with 11); 0 continuous,
though deeply notched; lower-limb GR 11-18 .......................... 2
2a Premaxillary groove (between nasal bones) broadly
V-shaped ............................................................. Ostichthys
2b Premaxillary groove narrow and elongate or rhomboidal ........... 3
3a LL 28-30; preorbital bone with sharp spines
overhanging upper jaw; a small tooth patch on
posteroventral surface of premaxillary symphysis
(§ee Fig. 132.35, p. 427) ........................................... Pristilepis
3b LL 32-42; preorbital without spines overhanging
upper jaw; no tooth patch on premaxillary
symphysis ........................................................... Plectrypops
422
Genus Myripristis Cuvier, 1829
No enlarged spine at angle of preopercle; vertebrae 26;
penultimate D spine shortest. Twenty-one species (1 Atlantic, 3 eastern Pacific, the rest Indo-Pacific, 1 of which
also ranges to the eastern Pacific); 7 species in our area; 4
others are known from islands of the western Indian Ocean,
including Mauritius and/or Reunion; these 4 additional
species are included in this account as they may be found in
our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la LL 26-32
Ib LL32-44
....................................................................... 2
2a A single scale (rarely 2) on inner (medial) side
of P base; margin of median fins broadly black
(broadest on lobes of C and elevated parts of
soft 0 and A); spinous 0 blackish with a
8
submarginal unpigmented zone; size to 25 cm SL ......... M. adusta
2b Either no scales or numerous scales in axil of P;
margins of median fins not black (although there
may be a black blotch or streak distally on C
lobes or on elevated parts of soft 0 and A);
spinous 0 not blackish ...................................................... 3
3a Two pairs of symphysial tooth patches, one
above the other, at tip of lower jaw just outside
mouth (lower pair usually absent in specimens
smaller than 9 em SL; LL 25-29 ........................................... 4
3b A single pair of tooth patches (Ion each side
of symphysis) at tip of lower jaw just outside
gape; LL 27-32 ................................................................ 5
4a Small scales on inner side of P base; total
GR 36-43; no black markings on fins; maximum
size, 16 cm SL .................................................. M. hexagona
4b No scales on inner side of P base; prominent
black blotch distally on C lobes and elevated
portions of soft 0 and A; total GR 32-38;
maximum size, 24 cm SL ................................ M. melanosticta
Sa Scales on upper part of body with broad
blackish rims (deep purplish or blue to dark
brown in life); interorbital space and nape
almost completely dark; upper-limb GR 12-16
(modally 14); LL 27-29 ........................................ M. vio/acea
5b Scales on upper part of body without blackish rims;
upper-limb GR 11-15 (modally 12 or 13); LL 27-32
(modally 29, except seychellensis with 28) ............................. 6
6a Jaws equal or lower jaw slightly inferior when
mouth fully closed; posterior border of vomerine
tooth patch rounded (at least in adults);
Drays 15 .................................................... M. seychellensis
6b Lower jaw projecting when mouth closed (except
juveniles); posterior border of vomerine tooth patch
usually straight; 0 rays 13-15 ............................................. 7
7a Least bony interorbital width 4.3-5.8 in head;
horizontal diameter of orbit = vertical diameter;
a broad orangish yellow zone on outer part of
spinous 0 .......................................................... M. berndti
7b Least bony interorbital width 3.7-4.4 in head;
horizontal diameter of orbit < vertical diameter;
outer part of spinous 0 red .................................. M. murdjan