154: BEMBRIDAE (DEEP-WATER FLATHEADS)
154.1 Parabembras robinsoni
Regan, 1921
PLATE 29
African deep-water
flathead
Afrikaanse diepwaterplatkop
Parabembras robinsoni Regan, 1921: 418 (Natal); Barnard, 1927: 936;
Smith, SFSA No. 1062*.
D X-XI+I,8-9; A III,5; P 19-21; LL 38-41; GR (5-8)+(13-17). Head
2.3-2.4. Bony ridge crossing cheek below eye with 4-5 stout spines .
Preocular spines small, 2-3. Tip of lower jaw with a small bony projection
pointing downward.
Attains 24 cm. Found only from Durban to southern
Mozambique in 200 - 600 m.
< ..154.1 Parabembrops robinsoni: dorsal view of head of 15.5 cm SL specimen
(Natal).
Family No. 155: PLATYCEPHALIDAE
by L.W. Knapp
Flatheads
Platkoppe
Elongate fishes with head moderately to strongly depressed. Mouth large, lower jaw longer than upper. Fine
teeth on jaws, vomer and palatines in most, stout canines
present in a few species. Bony ridges of head usually bearing spines or serrations. Gill-rakers few, short or mere
stubs. Gill membranes free from isthmus, branchiostegal
rays 7. Two dorsal fins well separated. Spinous dorsal fin
with 8-10 spines, the 1st spine short and scarcely connected
to the second. Soft dorsal and anal fins with 10-15 rays; the
last ray double (split to the base) but counted as a single ray.
Pelvic fins thoracic in position, set far apart towards sides of
body, with 1 spine and 5 soft-rays. Vertebrae 27, usually
11 + 16 or 12+ 15. Lateral line complete.
Adults usually dark above and pale below, the dark
colours with various shades of brown, grey or black;
brighter hues of reddish, purplish or greenish in some.
Benthic fishes frequently found on mud or sand bottoms of
continental shelf at depths to about 300 m; most species in
10 - 100 m; a second group of species is associated with
rocky shores or coral reefs. Many species are excellent eating, a few attain a size of 70 cm or greater. Primarily IndoPacific (1 species found in Gulf of Guinea, 1 in eastern
Mediterranean). Approximately 12 genera with a total of 60
species; 7 genera and 11 species in our area.
482
15
Names of spines and ridges: 1. nuchals, 2. lower operculars, 3. preopercular
(lower preopercular spinels) not shown), 4. supplemental preopercular, 5. parietals,
6. suborbitals, 7. preorbital, 8. nasal, 9. lacrimals, 10. preoculars, 11 . supraorbitals, 12. postoculars, 13. pterotics, 14. supraoccipital , 15. upperoperculars.
N.B. Few species have all the spines shown here.
KEY TO GENERA
la LL 68-82; teeth on vomer in 1 transverse patch;
soft Drays \3 ......................... ....... .................. . Platycephalus
Ib LL 34-60; teeth on vomer in 2 separate patches;
soft D rays usually 11-12 ... .. .... ..... .... .... .......... ... .. .... ............ 2
2a LL 34-40 ...... ..... ..... .. ........ .. ... ...... .. .. ........ ... ... .... .... Onigocia
2b LL 48-60 .... ...... .......... .... .... ....... ....... .... .............. ....... ... .. . 3
3a Bony ridges above and below eye bearing small spines
or serrae ........... .... ..... ...... .. ....... ... ....... ..... ....... .... Sorsogona
3b Bony ridges above and below eye bearing larger spines ....... .. ..... 4
4a All or most pored scales of LL bearing a backward
directed spine ... ....... ........... ....... .... ..... ...... ....... GrammopIites
4b Pored scales of LL on rear half of body without spines .. .. .. .... .... . 5
5a Bony ridge crossing cheek below eye with a single
spine below rear of eye ..... ........................ ........ Papilloculiceps
5b Bony ridge crossing cheek below eye with 2 or more spines ...... ... 6
6a Bony ridge crossing cheek below eye with 3 spines
(1 in front of eye, 1 below middle of eye, 1 below rear
margin of eye; rarely a minute 4th spine behind eye);
number of scale series slanting downward and backward
above LL greater than number of pored LL scales ... .. .... .. Cociella
6b Bony ridge below eye with more than 3 spines;
number of scale rows slanting downward and
backward above LL about the same (may differ by 1
or 2) as the number of LL scales ... .......... ... .. ......... Thysanophrys
Genus Cociella Whitley, 1940
Three species; 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Soft D & A rays usually 11; GR 1 +(4-6) .... .... ........... C. crocodila
Ib Soft D & A rays usually 12; GR (2-3)+(7-9) ... ....... .. ... ....... C. sp.
154.1 Parabembras robinsoni
Regan, 1921
PLATE 29
African deep-water
flathead
Afrikaanse diepwaterplatkop
Parabembras robinsoni Regan, 1921: 418 (Natal); Barnard, 1927: 936;
Smith, SFSA No. 1062*.
D X-XI+I,8-9; A III,5; P 19-21; LL 38-41; GR (5-8)+(13-17). Head
2.3-2.4. Bony ridge crossing cheek below eye with 4-5 stout spines .
Preocular spines small, 2-3. Tip of lower jaw with a small bony projection
pointing downward.
Attains 24 cm. Found only from Durban to southern
Mozambique in 200 - 600 m.
< ..154.1 Parabembrops robinsoni: dorsal view of head of 15.5 cm SL specimen
(Natal).
Family No. 155: PLATYCEPHALIDAE
by L.W. Knapp
Flatheads
Platkoppe
Elongate fishes with head moderately to strongly depressed. Mouth large, lower jaw longer than upper. Fine
teeth on jaws, vomer and palatines in most, stout canines
present in a few species. Bony ridges of head usually bearing spines or serrations. Gill-rakers few, short or mere
stubs. Gill membranes free from isthmus, branchiostegal
rays 7. Two dorsal fins well separated. Spinous dorsal fin
with 8-10 spines, the 1st spine short and scarcely connected
to the second. Soft dorsal and anal fins with 10-15 rays; the
last ray double (split to the base) but counted as a single ray.
Pelvic fins thoracic in position, set far apart towards sides of
body, with 1 spine and 5 soft-rays. Vertebrae 27, usually
11 + 16 or 12+ 15. Lateral line complete.
Adults usually dark above and pale below, the dark
colours with various shades of brown, grey or black;
brighter hues of reddish, purplish or greenish in some.
Benthic fishes frequently found on mud or sand bottoms of
continental shelf at depths to about 300 m; most species in
10 - 100 m; a second group of species is associated with
rocky shores or coral reefs. Many species are excellent eating, a few attain a size of 70 cm or greater. Primarily IndoPacific (1 species found in Gulf of Guinea, 1 in eastern
Mediterranean). Approximately 12 genera with a total of 60
species; 7 genera and 11 species in our area.
482
15
Names of spines and ridges: 1. nuchals, 2. lower operculars, 3. preopercular
(lower preopercular spinels) not shown), 4. supplemental preopercular, 5. parietals,
6. suborbitals, 7. preorbital, 8. nasal, 9. lacrimals, 10. preoculars, 11 . supraorbitals, 12. postoculars, 13. pterotics, 14. supraoccipital , 15. upperoperculars.
N.B. Few species have all the spines shown here.
KEY TO GENERA
la LL 68-82; teeth on vomer in 1 transverse patch;
soft Drays \3 ......................... ....... .................. . Platycephalus
Ib LL 34-60; teeth on vomer in 2 separate patches;
soft D rays usually 11-12 ... .. .... ..... .... .... .......... ... .. .... ............ 2
2a LL 34-40 ...... ..... ..... .. ........ .. ... ...... .. .. ........ ... ... .... .... Onigocia
2b LL 48-60 .... ...... .......... .... .... ....... ....... .... .............. ....... ... .. . 3
3a Bony ridges above and below eye bearing small spines
or serrae ........... .... ..... ...... .. ....... ... ....... ..... ....... .... Sorsogona
3b Bony ridges above and below eye bearing larger spines ....... .. ..... 4
4a All or most pored scales of LL bearing a backward
directed spine ... ....... ........... ....... .... ..... ...... ....... GrammopIites
4b Pored scales of LL on rear half of body without spines .. .. .. .... .... . 5
5a Bony ridge crossing cheek below eye with a single
spine below rear of eye ..... ........................ ........ Papilloculiceps
5b Bony ridge crossing cheek below eye with 2 or more spines ...... ... 6
6a Bony ridge crossing cheek below eye with 3 spines
(1 in front of eye, 1 below middle of eye, 1 below rear
margin of eye; rarely a minute 4th spine behind eye);
number of scale series slanting downward and backward
above LL greater than number of pored LL scales ... .. .... .. Cociella
6b Bony ridge below eye with more than 3 spines;
number of scale rows slanting downward and
backward above LL about the same (may differ by 1
or 2) as the number of LL scales ... .......... ... .. ......... Thysanophrys
Genus Cociella Whitley, 1940
Three species; 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Soft D & A rays usually 11; GR 1 +(4-6) .... .... ........... C. crocodila
Ib Soft D & A rays usually 12; GR (2-3)+(7-9) ... ....... .. ... ....... C. sp.