Genus Thysanophrys Ogilby, 1898
Seven species; 4 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Finger-like papilla on upper surface of eye;
A 13-14, rarely 12 .......... ..... .... .................. ............ T. celebica
Ib No papilla on eye; A rays usually 12 ............... ..................... .. 2
2a Preorbital spine present; A 12; bony interorbital
width 6-7 in snout length .... .... .... .... ................ .. ... ... T. chiltonae
2b Preorbital spine absent; bony interorbital width 2-5 in
snout length ... ... .............. ............... ........................... ....... 3
3a Papillae on the edges of lips, D soft-rays
usually 11 .. ... .. ......... ........... ,.. .......... ... ...... ......... T. otaitensis
3b No papillae on lips, D soft-rays usually 12 .... .... ......... T. arenicola
155.8 Thysanophrys arenicola
Schultz, 1966
PLATE 30
Sand flathead
Sand-platkop
Thysanophrys arenicola Schultz, 1966: 60, Fig. 148, PI. 130, Figs. B & C
(Marshall Ids.).
D UVIII+ 11-12; A 12; P 19-22; LL 51-54 ; GR i +(4-5) . Head 2.7- 3.2.
Colour pattern similar to that of T. otaitensis. Attains 23
cm. Found over sand near coral reefs in 1 - 15 m. Natal
north to Seychelles; Chagos Archipelago, Indonesia, Australia, Philippines and Marshall Ids.
155.8 Thysanophrys arenieola: dorsal view of head of 14 em SL specimen
(Natal).
155.9 Thysanophrys celebica
(Bleeker, 1854)
Quarterspined flathead
Kwartstekel-platkop
Platycephalus celebicus Bleeker, 1854: 450 (Manado). Platycephalus
pristis Peters, 1855: 433 (Mozambique); Barnard, 1927: 934; Smith, SFSA
No. 1067. Platycephalus heterolepis (non Barnard): Fowler, 1934: 488.
Grammoplites pristis: Fowler, 1935: 398*. Platycephalus horai de
Beaufort, 1957: 83, Fig. 1A (New Guinea).
D UVII-VIII+ 12-14; A 12-14; P 19-20; LL 49-52; GR 1+(3-5). Head
2.7-3.1.
Brownish, with 3 or 4 dark bands crossing back. Common
in shallow water from Durban north to Zanzibar. Also
known from Persian Gulf to Philippines and Australia.
155: PLATYCEPHALIDAE (FLATHEADS)
155.9 Thysanophrys eelebiea: 16 em (after Fowler, 1935); bottom right: dorsal
view of head of 10.5 em specimen (Zanzibar).
155.10 Thysanophrys chiltonae
Schultz, 1966
PLATE 30
Longsnout flathead
Langsnoet-platkop
Thysanophrys chiltonae Schultz, 1966: 57, Figs. 146 & 147 (Marshall
Ids.).
D INII-VIII+ 11; A 12; P 19-21; LL50-57; GR 1 +(5-6) . Single preorbital spine ; bony interorbital width contained 4-6 times in eye diameter.
Body and head mottled with dark brown and buff; fin
rays with dark brown or black spots; dark brown saddle
blotch on top of C peduncle. Attains 23 cm. Over sand near
coral reefs in depths of 1 - 30 m. Red Sea and Indo-West
Pacific from northern Natal to Australia, Fiji, Philippines
and the Marquesas Ids.
155.10 Thysanophrys ehiltonae: dorsal view of head of 13 em SL specimen
(Natal).
155.11 Thysanophrys otaitensis
(Parkinson, 1829)
Fringelip flathead
Fraiinglip-platkop
Collus otaitensis Parkinson, in Cuv. & Val., 1829: 241 (Tahiti); Fowler,
1949: 109. Platycephalus malayan us Bleeker, 1853: 498 (Sumatra) .
Platycephalus variolusus Giinther, 1876: 167, PI. 109, Fig. A (Samoa).
Thysanophrys papi/lolabium Schultz, 1966: 55, Fig. 145, PI. 130, Fig. A
(Marshall Ids.).
D UVIII+ 11-12; A 12; P 20-22; LL 51-53; GR 1 +(5-6). Head 2.8-3.1.
Body often mottled with brown and white blotches
above, whitish below. Back crossed by 4 or 5 dark bands,
sometimes indistinct. Attains 25 cm. Found over sand near
coral reefs at depths of 1 - 15 m. Natal north to Seychelles;
also throughout tropical Indo-Pacific.
485
Seven species; 4 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Finger-like papilla on upper surface of eye;
A 13-14, rarely 12 .......... ..... .... .................. ............ T. celebica
Ib No papilla on eye; A rays usually 12 ............... ..................... .. 2
2a Preorbital spine present; A 12; bony interorbital
width 6-7 in snout length .... .... .... .... ................ .. ... ... T. chiltonae
2b Preorbital spine absent; bony interorbital width 2-5 in
snout length ... ... .............. ............... ........................... ....... 3
3a Papillae on the edges of lips, D soft-rays
usually 11 .. ... .. ......... ........... ,.. .......... ... ...... ......... T. otaitensis
3b No papillae on lips, D soft-rays usually 12 .... .... ......... T. arenicola
155.8 Thysanophrys arenicola
Schultz, 1966
PLATE 30
Sand flathead
Sand-platkop
Thysanophrys arenicola Schultz, 1966: 60, Fig. 148, PI. 130, Figs. B & C
(Marshall Ids.).
D UVIII+ 11-12; A 12; P 19-22; LL 51-54 ; GR i +(4-5) . Head 2.7- 3.2.
Colour pattern similar to that of T. otaitensis. Attains 23
cm. Found over sand near coral reefs in 1 - 15 m. Natal
north to Seychelles; Chagos Archipelago, Indonesia, Australia, Philippines and Marshall Ids.
155.8 Thysanophrys arenieola: dorsal view of head of 14 em SL specimen
(Natal).
155.9 Thysanophrys celebica
(Bleeker, 1854)
Quarterspined flathead
Kwartstekel-platkop
Platycephalus celebicus Bleeker, 1854: 450 (Manado). Platycephalus
pristis Peters, 1855: 433 (Mozambique); Barnard, 1927: 934; Smith, SFSA
No. 1067. Platycephalus heterolepis (non Barnard): Fowler, 1934: 488.
Grammoplites pristis: Fowler, 1935: 398*. Platycephalus horai de
Beaufort, 1957: 83, Fig. 1A (New Guinea).
D UVII-VIII+ 12-14; A 12-14; P 19-20; LL 49-52; GR 1+(3-5). Head
2.7-3.1.
Brownish, with 3 or 4 dark bands crossing back. Common
in shallow water from Durban north to Zanzibar. Also
known from Persian Gulf to Philippines and Australia.
155: PLATYCEPHALIDAE (FLATHEADS)
155.9 Thysanophrys eelebiea: 16 em (after Fowler, 1935); bottom right: dorsal
view of head of 10.5 em specimen (Zanzibar).
155.10 Thysanophrys chiltonae
Schultz, 1966
PLATE 30
Longsnout flathead
Langsnoet-platkop
Thysanophrys chiltonae Schultz, 1966: 57, Figs. 146 & 147 (Marshall
Ids.).
D INII-VIII+ 11; A 12; P 19-21; LL50-57; GR 1 +(5-6) . Single preorbital spine ; bony interorbital width contained 4-6 times in eye diameter.
Body and head mottled with dark brown and buff; fin
rays with dark brown or black spots; dark brown saddle
blotch on top of C peduncle. Attains 23 cm. Over sand near
coral reefs in depths of 1 - 30 m. Red Sea and Indo-West
Pacific from northern Natal to Australia, Fiji, Philippines
and the Marquesas Ids.
155.10 Thysanophrys ehiltonae: dorsal view of head of 13 em SL specimen
(Natal).
155.11 Thysanophrys otaitensis
(Parkinson, 1829)
Fringelip flathead
Fraiinglip-platkop
Collus otaitensis Parkinson, in Cuv. & Val., 1829: 241 (Tahiti); Fowler,
1949: 109. Platycephalus malayan us Bleeker, 1853: 498 (Sumatra) .
Platycephalus variolusus Giinther, 1876: 167, PI. 109, Fig. A (Samoa).
Thysanophrys papi/lolabium Schultz, 1966: 55, Fig. 145, PI. 130, Fig. A
(Marshall Ids.).
D UVIII+ 11-12; A 12; P 20-22; LL 51-53; GR 1 +(5-6). Head 2.8-3.1.
Body often mottled with brown and white blotches
above, whitish below. Back crossed by 4 or 5 dark bands,
sometimes indistinct. Attains 25 cm. Found over sand near
coral reefs at depths of 1 - 15 m. Natal north to Seychelles;
also throughout tropical Indo-Pacific.
485