Family No. 158: PERISTEDIIDAE
by p.e Heemstra
Armoured gumards
Gepantserde knorhane
Head and body flattened ventrally, completely encased
in bony plates; front of snout with 2 flat bony processes
projecting forward. Pectoral fin with lower 2 rays free and
enlarged, used as feelers. Dorsal fin divided into spinous
and soft-rayed fins. Ventral fins wide apart, situated below
base of pectorals, with 1 spine and 5 rays. Caudal fin with 9
or 10 branched rays. Maxilla covered by pre orbital bone.
Branchiostegal rays 7; gills 4, a slit behind the last; gillrakers short and not numerous. A series of barbels on lower
jaw.
Some authors include the peristediids as a subfamily of
the Triglidae. About 4 genera and 20-30 species; they
inhabit the lower shelf/upper slope regions of all oceans
between the 60° latitudes. Two genera are represented in
our area: Satyrichthys, with a well-developed preopercular
spine, and Peristedion, in which the pre opercular spine is
very small or absent.
Genus Peristedion Lacepede, 1802
Several species, 1 in our area.
158.1 Peristedion weberi
Smith,1934
PLATE 30
Peristedion weberi Smith, 1934: 329, PI. 21 (off Delagoa Bay; 260 fms);
Smith, SFSA No. 1075*; Miller, 1974: 67*; Heemstra, 1982: 292.
D VIIII20; A 20-23; P 11-13+2; GR (4-6)+(19-22); LL plates 34-37.
Head length (from premaxillary symphysis to end of opercular spine)
2.6-2.9, body depth 5.2-7.1 in SL; eye 4.3-4.6, interorbital width 4.3-5.0 in
head.
Colour in alcohol: body grey, mottled darker above;
prominent black blotch at tip of P; dusky mark at base and
dorsally in axil of P; D spines, rays and margin of fin black.
Attains 15 cm. Northern Natal to Somalia in 170 m.
158.1 Peristedion weberi: 18.5 em holotype (off Inhaea Id.).
Genus Satyrichthys Kaup, 1873
Several species, 2 in our area.
158: PERISTEDIIDAE (ARMOURED GURNARDS)
KEY TO SPECIES
la A 14-16 . .... .. . ...... ....... ..... ....... . S. adeni
Ib A 21 . .... ... . ... . . ... .. ... .. . . ... . . S. investigatoris
158.2 Satyrichthys adeni
(L1oyd,1907)
Peristethus adeni Lloyd, 1907: 8 (Gulf of Aden). Peristedion adeni:
Smith, SFSA No. 1074*. Satyrichthys adeni: Miller, 1974: 61*; Heemstra,
1982: 292.
D VII-VIII + 13-16; A 14-16; P 12-14+2; LL27-30; GR (4-6)+(17-20).
Filamentous lip barbel reaches to below eye. Rostral exsertions changing
shape with growth; configuration of preopercular spine variable; 5 small
spines on snout. Head length 2.1-2.4, body depth 4.3-5.7 in SL; eye
4.2-6.0, interorbital width 4.0-5.8 in head.
Anterior D spines and margin of 1st D dusky. Attains
70 cm. Mossel Bay to Delagoa Bay in 58 - 295 m; also known
from northern Indian Ocean and Taiwan.
158.2 Satyrichthys adeni: 14.5 em and ventral view of head of 48 em specimen
(both off Algoa Bay).
158.3 Satyrichthys investigatoris
(Alcock, 1898)
Peristethus investigatoris Alcock, 1898: 152 (Andaman Sea) .
Satyrichthys investigatoris: Heemstra, 1982: 292*.
D VII+22; A 21; P 14+2; LL 35-36; GR iii,(3-4)+22; head length
2.6-2.8 in SL; eye 4.9-5.2 in head; interorbital width 1.2 in eye, 6.0 in
head; filamentous lip barbel reaches well past base of preopercular spine.
P, spinous D and margin of soft D blackish. Attains 20
158.3 Satyrichthys investigatoris: 16 em SL (off Durban).
489
by p.e Heemstra
Armoured gumards
Gepantserde knorhane
Head and body flattened ventrally, completely encased
in bony plates; front of snout with 2 flat bony processes
projecting forward. Pectoral fin with lower 2 rays free and
enlarged, used as feelers. Dorsal fin divided into spinous
and soft-rayed fins. Ventral fins wide apart, situated below
base of pectorals, with 1 spine and 5 rays. Caudal fin with 9
or 10 branched rays. Maxilla covered by pre orbital bone.
Branchiostegal rays 7; gills 4, a slit behind the last; gillrakers short and not numerous. A series of barbels on lower
jaw.
Some authors include the peristediids as a subfamily of
the Triglidae. About 4 genera and 20-30 species; they
inhabit the lower shelf/upper slope regions of all oceans
between the 60° latitudes. Two genera are represented in
our area: Satyrichthys, with a well-developed preopercular
spine, and Peristedion, in which the pre opercular spine is
very small or absent.
Genus Peristedion Lacepede, 1802
Several species, 1 in our area.
158.1 Peristedion weberi
Smith,1934
PLATE 30
Peristedion weberi Smith, 1934: 329, PI. 21 (off Delagoa Bay; 260 fms);
Smith, SFSA No. 1075*; Miller, 1974: 67*; Heemstra, 1982: 292.
D VIIII20; A 20-23; P 11-13+2; GR (4-6)+(19-22); LL plates 34-37.
Head length (from premaxillary symphysis to end of opercular spine)
2.6-2.9, body depth 5.2-7.1 in SL; eye 4.3-4.6, interorbital width 4.3-5.0 in
head.
Colour in alcohol: body grey, mottled darker above;
prominent black blotch at tip of P; dusky mark at base and
dorsally in axil of P; D spines, rays and margin of fin black.
Attains 15 cm. Northern Natal to Somalia in 170 m.
158.1 Peristedion weberi: 18.5 em holotype (off Inhaea Id.).
Genus Satyrichthys Kaup, 1873
Several species, 2 in our area.
158: PERISTEDIIDAE (ARMOURED GURNARDS)
KEY TO SPECIES
la A 14-16 . .... .. . ...... ....... ..... ....... . S. adeni
Ib A 21 . .... ... . ... . . ... .. ... .. . . ... . . S. investigatoris
158.2 Satyrichthys adeni
(L1oyd,1907)
Peristethus adeni Lloyd, 1907: 8 (Gulf of Aden). Peristedion adeni:
Smith, SFSA No. 1074*. Satyrichthys adeni: Miller, 1974: 61*; Heemstra,
1982: 292.
D VII-VIII + 13-16; A 14-16; P 12-14+2; LL27-30; GR (4-6)+(17-20).
Filamentous lip barbel reaches to below eye. Rostral exsertions changing
shape with growth; configuration of preopercular spine variable; 5 small
spines on snout. Head length 2.1-2.4, body depth 4.3-5.7 in SL; eye
4.2-6.0, interorbital width 4.0-5.8 in head.
Anterior D spines and margin of 1st D dusky. Attains
70 cm. Mossel Bay to Delagoa Bay in 58 - 295 m; also known
from northern Indian Ocean and Taiwan.
158.2 Satyrichthys adeni: 14.5 em and ventral view of head of 48 em specimen
(both off Algoa Bay).
158.3 Satyrichthys investigatoris
(Alcock, 1898)
Peristethus investigatoris Alcock, 1898: 152 (Andaman Sea) .
Satyrichthys investigatoris: Heemstra, 1982: 292*.
D VII+22; A 21; P 14+2; LL 35-36; GR iii,(3-4)+22; head length
2.6-2.8 in SL; eye 4.9-5.2 in head; interorbital width 1.2 in eye, 6.0 in
head; filamentous lip barbel reaches well past base of preopercular spine.
P, spinous D and margin of soft D blackish. Attains 20
158.3 Satyrichthys investigatoris: 16 em SL (off Durban).
489