Body pale orange, with 2 oblique pale reddish bars.
Attains 15 cm. Indo-West Pacific from Natal to Japan in
50- 600m.
Family No. 163: AMBASSIDAE
by p.e. Heemstra & T.J. Martin
Glassies
Glasvisse
Body oblong, compressed. Dorsal fin deeply divided before last spine, with 7 or 8 spines and 8-11 soft-rays; anal fin
with 3 spines and 8-11 soft -rays; last dorsal and anal rays
split to their base. Dorsal and lnal fins naked, but with low
scaly sheath. Caudal fin forked, with 15 branched rays.
Scales thin, cycloid, deciduous. Lateral line complete or
interrupted. Head bones variously serrate or not; opercle
ending in a membranous flap. Maxilla naked; no supramaxilla. Gill membranes separate; branchiostegals 6. Small
teeth on jaws, vomer and palatines. Gill-rakers well developed. Vertebrae 10+ 14. Swimbladder present.
Small, translucent, silvery fishes of shallow tropical
waters throughout the Indo-West Pacific region; common
in estuaries. Not of commercial importance, but useful as
bait. Several genera, 1 in our area.
Genus Ambassis Cuvier, 1828
Scales in longitudinal series 25-30; 1 or 2 rows of cheek
scales. Several species; 3 (possibly 4) in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la LL interrupted; predorsal scales 13-16;
preorbital bone with exposed, posteriorly
directed rostral spine below anterior nostril ....... A. gymnocephalus
Ib LL more or less continuous; no exposed rostral spine ................ 2
2a Hind edge of preopercle serrate; 2 or 3 rows of cheek scales........ 3
2b Hind edge of preopercle entire; 1 row of cheek
scales; lor 2 supraorbital spines; 8-10 pre dorsal
scales; preopercle ridge serrate ......... A. commersoni Cuvier, 1828
(Reported from Seychelles; may occur in our area)
3a Preopercle ridge smooth except for 2-4 spines
posteriorly; predorsal scales 9-11; band of
villiform teeth on vomer and palatines .................... A. natalensis
3b Preopercle ridge completely serrate; pre dorsal
scales 14-18; 1 row of minute teeth on vomer
and palatines ............................................ .. ....... A. productus
163.1 Ambassis gymnocephalus
(Lacepede.1801)
Bald glassy
Kaalkop-glasvis
Lutjanus gymnocephalus Lacepede, 1801: PI. 23, Fig. 3, 1802: pp. 181,
216 (Indo-Pacific). Ambassis gymnocephalus: Smith, SFSA No. 637; Hill,
1966: 22; Winterbottom, 1976: 62.
D VI-VIIII,8-1O; A III,8-1O; P 14-15; LL 27-29 interrupted; predorsal
scales 13-16; GR (8-10)+(22-25); 2 rows of cheek scales. Depth 2.6-2.9,
163: AMBASSIDAE (GLASSIES)
head 2.7-2.9 in SL; eye 3.1-3.4 in head. Supraorbital spines 1-5 (usually 3
or 4); lower edge and angle of preopercle serrate; dorsal 3j of vertical
preopercle edge smooth; preopercle ridge completely serrate along lower
limb; a large retrorse spine on preorbital just below anterior nostril;
preorbital ridge smooth or serrate; interopercle smooth except for 1 or
(rarely) 2 small spines. A row of minute teeth on vomer, palatines and
tongue.
Attains 10 cm. Tropical waters of Indian Ocean, Indonesia and Philippines; extends south on our coast at least
to Algoa Bay.
163.1 Ambassis gymnocephalus: head of 3.5 em SL specimen (Natal).
163.2 Ambassis natalensis
Gilchrist & Thompson. 1908
PLATE 44
Slender glassy
Siank glasvis
Ambassis natalensis Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908: 148 (Durban
Harbour); Wallace, 1975: 15; Blaber, 1978: 34, 40. Ambassis safgha:
Smith, SFSA No. 634; Hill, 1966: 23; Day, 1974: 95. ? Ambassis urotaenia:
Smith, SFSA No. 636.
D VIIII,9-11; A III,9-11; P 14-15; LL 27-29; predorsal scales 9-11; GR
(8-9)+(19-22); 2 rows of cheek scales. Depth 2.5-2.8, head 2.8-3.0 in SL;
eye 3.1-3.6 in head. Supraorbital spines 1-4; vertical and lower edge of
preopercle serrate; preopercle ridge smooth except for 2 to 4 spines
163.2 Ambassis natalensis: 9.5 em and head of 5.5 em SL specimen (both
Natal).
507
Attains 15 cm. Indo-West Pacific from Natal to Japan in
50- 600m.
Family No. 163: AMBASSIDAE
by p.e. Heemstra & T.J. Martin
Glassies
Glasvisse
Body oblong, compressed. Dorsal fin deeply divided before last spine, with 7 or 8 spines and 8-11 soft-rays; anal fin
with 3 spines and 8-11 soft -rays; last dorsal and anal rays
split to their base. Dorsal and lnal fins naked, but with low
scaly sheath. Caudal fin forked, with 15 branched rays.
Scales thin, cycloid, deciduous. Lateral line complete or
interrupted. Head bones variously serrate or not; opercle
ending in a membranous flap. Maxilla naked; no supramaxilla. Gill membranes separate; branchiostegals 6. Small
teeth on jaws, vomer and palatines. Gill-rakers well developed. Vertebrae 10+ 14. Swimbladder present.
Small, translucent, silvery fishes of shallow tropical
waters throughout the Indo-West Pacific region; common
in estuaries. Not of commercial importance, but useful as
bait. Several genera, 1 in our area.
Genus Ambassis Cuvier, 1828
Scales in longitudinal series 25-30; 1 or 2 rows of cheek
scales. Several species; 3 (possibly 4) in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la LL interrupted; predorsal scales 13-16;
preorbital bone with exposed, posteriorly
directed rostral spine below anterior nostril ....... A. gymnocephalus
Ib LL more or less continuous; no exposed rostral spine ................ 2
2a Hind edge of preopercle serrate; 2 or 3 rows of cheek scales........ 3
2b Hind edge of preopercle entire; 1 row of cheek
scales; lor 2 supraorbital spines; 8-10 pre dorsal
scales; preopercle ridge serrate ......... A. commersoni Cuvier, 1828
(Reported from Seychelles; may occur in our area)
3a Preopercle ridge smooth except for 2-4 spines
posteriorly; predorsal scales 9-11; band of
villiform teeth on vomer and palatines .................... A. natalensis
3b Preopercle ridge completely serrate; pre dorsal
scales 14-18; 1 row of minute teeth on vomer
and palatines ............................................ .. ....... A. productus
163.1 Ambassis gymnocephalus
(Lacepede.1801)
Bald glassy
Kaalkop-glasvis
Lutjanus gymnocephalus Lacepede, 1801: PI. 23, Fig. 3, 1802: pp. 181,
216 (Indo-Pacific). Ambassis gymnocephalus: Smith, SFSA No. 637; Hill,
1966: 22; Winterbottom, 1976: 62.
D VI-VIIII,8-1O; A III,8-1O; P 14-15; LL 27-29 interrupted; predorsal
scales 13-16; GR (8-10)+(22-25); 2 rows of cheek scales. Depth 2.6-2.9,
163: AMBASSIDAE (GLASSIES)
head 2.7-2.9 in SL; eye 3.1-3.4 in head. Supraorbital spines 1-5 (usually 3
or 4); lower edge and angle of preopercle serrate; dorsal 3j of vertical
preopercle edge smooth; preopercle ridge completely serrate along lower
limb; a large retrorse spine on preorbital just below anterior nostril;
preorbital ridge smooth or serrate; interopercle smooth except for 1 or
(rarely) 2 small spines. A row of minute teeth on vomer, palatines and
tongue.
Attains 10 cm. Tropical waters of Indian Ocean, Indonesia and Philippines; extends south on our coast at least
to Algoa Bay.
163.1 Ambassis gymnocephalus: head of 3.5 em SL specimen (Natal).
163.2 Ambassis natalensis
Gilchrist & Thompson. 1908
PLATE 44
Slender glassy
Siank glasvis
Ambassis natalensis Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908: 148 (Durban
Harbour); Wallace, 1975: 15; Blaber, 1978: 34, 40. Ambassis safgha:
Smith, SFSA No. 634; Hill, 1966: 23; Day, 1974: 95. ? Ambassis urotaenia:
Smith, SFSA No. 636.
D VIIII,9-11; A III,9-11; P 14-15; LL 27-29; predorsal scales 9-11; GR
(8-9)+(19-22); 2 rows of cheek scales. Depth 2.5-2.8, head 2.8-3.0 in SL;
eye 3.1-3.6 in head. Supraorbital spines 1-4; vertical and lower edge of
preopercle serrate; preopercle ridge smooth except for 2 to 4 spines
163.2 Ambassis natalensis: 9.5 em and head of 5.5 em SL specimen (both
Natal).
507