D XX-XXI,13-15; A 7-8; P 9; LL obscure pores only; GR 8-9. Depth
3.0; head 4.1; predorsal 6.0. P shorter than V. No spines on lachrymal
bone above mouth. Skin papillose il1'young, smooth in adults.
Light brown with irregular darker brown markings in
young; adults darker brown. Attains 76 cm. Taken in
depths of 10 -146 m from Namibia to Pondoland.
Family No. 153: CARACANTHIDAE
by W.N. Eschmeyer
Coral crouchers
Koraalskuilers
Small, nearly oval body. Dorsal fin continuous or with a
notch; 6-8 spines, 11-14 soft-rays. Pectoral fins small, 13-15
rays. Pelvic fins tiny, 1 spine and usually 3 soft-rays. Body
covered with papillae. Scales restricted to lateral line, base
of dorsal fin, and as spinules between bony lumps on top of
head. Usually 5-6 preo'percular spines.
These small fishes live among branches of coral, especially the genera Acropora and Poecillopora. They use their
pectoral fins to brace themselves between fingers of coral.
Usually captured when coral is removed from water. Rarely
seen except by researchers. Tropical Indo-Pacific, shallow
water. One genus, Caracanthus Kroyer, 1844, and 4
species, 2 in our area. Recently revised by Eschmeyer (in
press).
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Spinous and soft D continuous, not notched or
only slightly notched; 1 long spine and 2 lumps
on lachrymal bone before eye; no spots on body . . . .. C. unipinna
1b A notch between spinous and soft D; 1 long
spine and 1 lump on lachrymal bone before
eye; pale spots (red in life) on body, some spots
usually run together giving a reticulated
pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C. madagascariensis
153.1 Caracanthus madagascariensis
(Guichenot, 1869)
PLATE 27
Spotted croucher
Gespikkelde koraalskuiler
Crossoderma madagascariensis Guichenot, 1869: 195, PI. 12, Fig. 1
153.1 Caracanthus madagascariensis: 4 em (N. Mozambique).
154: BEMBRIDAE (DEEP-WATER FLATHEADS)
(Madagascar). Caracanthus maculatus (non Gray): Smith, 1957: 395;
1958: 172*; 1961:571,No.1053a.
D VII-VIII,12-13; A II,1l-12; P 13-15.
Greyish, with reddish spots. Attains about 50 mm. Tropical western and central Indian Ocean, south to Sodwana
Bay.
153.2 Caracanthus unipinna
(Gray, 1831)
PLATE 27
Coral croucher
Koraalskuiler
Micropus unipinna Gray, 1831: 20 (Pacific Seas). Centropus
staurophorus Kner, 1860: 532, Fig. 1 (Zanzibar). Micropus longipinnis
Jatzow & Lenz, 1898: 505, Fig. 2, PI. 34. Caracanthus zeylonicus (non
Day): Smith, 1931: 157; SFSA No. 1053*. Caracanthus unipinna: Smith,
1957: 385; 1961: 571, No. 1053. Caracanthus unipinnis: Smith, 1958: 172*.
D VII-VIII,12-13; A II,1l-12; P 12-13.
Nearly uniform brownish or greyish, darker on back.
Attains about 50 mm. Tropical waters throughout IndoPacific; reaches Sodwana Bay.
153.2 Car acanthus unipinna: 3.5 em (Assumption Id.).
Family No. 154: BEMBRIDAE
by L.W. Knapp
Deep-water flatheads
Diepwater-platkoppe
Elongate fishes with head slightly depressed. Mouth
large, with fine teeth on jaws, vomer and palatines. Bony
ridges of head bearing spines. Gill membranes free from
isthmus, branchiostegal rays 7. Two dorsal fins well separated. Spinous dorsal fin with 9-11 spines; soft dorsal fin
0-1,7-13; anal fin O-I1I,4-15. Ventral fins below pectoral fin
base, set close together, with 1 spine and 5 soft-rays. Vertebrae 26-27. Lateral line complete.
Reddish fishes found at depths of about 150 - 665 m.
Indo-Pacific from South Africa to Gulf of Aden, Japan,
Hawaii and the Nasca Ridge off Peru. Approximately 3
genera with a total of 5 species; 1 species in our area.
Genus Parabembras Bleeker, 1874
Two species; 1 from our area.
481
3.0; head 4.1; predorsal 6.0. P shorter than V. No spines on lachrymal
bone above mouth. Skin papillose il1'young, smooth in adults.
Light brown with irregular darker brown markings in
young; adults darker brown. Attains 76 cm. Taken in
depths of 10 -146 m from Namibia to Pondoland.
Family No. 153: CARACANTHIDAE
by W.N. Eschmeyer
Coral crouchers
Koraalskuilers
Small, nearly oval body. Dorsal fin continuous or with a
notch; 6-8 spines, 11-14 soft-rays. Pectoral fins small, 13-15
rays. Pelvic fins tiny, 1 spine and usually 3 soft-rays. Body
covered with papillae. Scales restricted to lateral line, base
of dorsal fin, and as spinules between bony lumps on top of
head. Usually 5-6 preo'percular spines.
These small fishes live among branches of coral, especially the genera Acropora and Poecillopora. They use their
pectoral fins to brace themselves between fingers of coral.
Usually captured when coral is removed from water. Rarely
seen except by researchers. Tropical Indo-Pacific, shallow
water. One genus, Caracanthus Kroyer, 1844, and 4
species, 2 in our area. Recently revised by Eschmeyer (in
press).
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Spinous and soft D continuous, not notched or
only slightly notched; 1 long spine and 2 lumps
on lachrymal bone before eye; no spots on body . . . .. C. unipinna
1b A notch between spinous and soft D; 1 long
spine and 1 lump on lachrymal bone before
eye; pale spots (red in life) on body, some spots
usually run together giving a reticulated
pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C. madagascariensis
153.1 Caracanthus madagascariensis
(Guichenot, 1869)
PLATE 27
Spotted croucher
Gespikkelde koraalskuiler
Crossoderma madagascariensis Guichenot, 1869: 195, PI. 12, Fig. 1
153.1 Caracanthus madagascariensis: 4 em (N. Mozambique).
154: BEMBRIDAE (DEEP-WATER FLATHEADS)
(Madagascar). Caracanthus maculatus (non Gray): Smith, 1957: 395;
1958: 172*; 1961:571,No.1053a.
D VII-VIII,12-13; A II,1l-12; P 13-15.
Greyish, with reddish spots. Attains about 50 mm. Tropical western and central Indian Ocean, south to Sodwana
Bay.
153.2 Caracanthus unipinna
(Gray, 1831)
PLATE 27
Coral croucher
Koraalskuiler
Micropus unipinna Gray, 1831: 20 (Pacific Seas). Centropus
staurophorus Kner, 1860: 532, Fig. 1 (Zanzibar). Micropus longipinnis
Jatzow & Lenz, 1898: 505, Fig. 2, PI. 34. Caracanthus zeylonicus (non
Day): Smith, 1931: 157; SFSA No. 1053*. Caracanthus unipinna: Smith,
1957: 385; 1961: 571, No. 1053. Caracanthus unipinnis: Smith, 1958: 172*.
D VII-VIII,12-13; A II,1l-12; P 12-13.
Nearly uniform brownish or greyish, darker on back.
Attains about 50 mm. Tropical waters throughout IndoPacific; reaches Sodwana Bay.
153.2 Car acanthus unipinna: 3.5 em (Assumption Id.).
Family No. 154: BEMBRIDAE
by L.W. Knapp
Deep-water flatheads
Diepwater-platkoppe
Elongate fishes with head slightly depressed. Mouth
large, with fine teeth on jaws, vomer and palatines. Bony
ridges of head bearing spines. Gill membranes free from
isthmus, branchiostegal rays 7. Two dorsal fins well separated. Spinous dorsal fin with 9-11 spines; soft dorsal fin
0-1,7-13; anal fin O-I1I,4-15. Ventral fins below pectoral fin
base, set close together, with 1 spine and 5 soft-rays. Vertebrae 26-27. Lateral line complete.
Reddish fishes found at depths of about 150 - 665 m.
Indo-Pacific from South Africa to Gulf of Aden, Japan,
Hawaii and the Nasca Ridge off Peru. Approximately 3
genera with a total of 5 species; 1 species in our area.
Genus Parabembras Bleeker, 1874
Two species; 1 from our area.
481