163: AMBASSIDAE (GLASSIES)
posteriorly; preorbital ridge entire or serrate; interopercle with 1-4 tiny
spines posteriorly. Band of villiform teeth on jaws, vomer and palatines.
Attains 9 cm. Natal south to Umtata River; reported
from east Africa.
163.3 Ambassis productus
Guichenot, 1866
Longspine glassy
Langstekel-glasvis
Ambassis productus Guichenot, 1866: 130 (Madagascar). Ambassis
commersoni (non Cuvier): Smith, SFSA No. 635*; Hill, 1966: 22; Day,
1974: 95; Blaber, 1978: 34, 40.
D VIIII,9-1O; A III,9-11; P 14-15; LL 28-29; predorsal scales 14-18; 2 or
3 rows of cheek scales; GR (8-10)+(20-23). Depth 2.3-2.8, head 2.5-2.6 in
SL; eye 3.1-3.7 in head. Supraorbital with 1 spine; vertical and lower
edges of preopercle serrate; preopercle ridge serrate; preorbital and suborbital ridges serrate or entire; interopercle with 3-7 serrae. Band of
minute teeth in upper jaw, 2 rows in lower jaw, 1 row on palatines, and a
discontinuous series on vomer.
Attains 15 cm. Madagascar and east African coast to at
least southern Natal.
163.3 Ambassis productus: head of 7.5 em SL specimen (Natal).
Flagtails
Family No. 164: KUHLIIDAE
by M.M. Smith
Vlagsterte
Elongate-oval body with moderate ctenoid scales; mouth
with fine teeth in jaws in bands, and on vomer; palatines
toothed in Kuhlia, toothless in Parakuhlia; tongue toothless; preopercle serrate; opercle with 2 spines; fin spines
strong, a notch before soft dorsal.
Small fishes of shallow tropical waters of the eastern
Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, commonly found in
freshwater and estuaries. Externally resemble freshwater
sunfishes (Centrarchidae) of North America. Previously
known as Duleidae. Two genera; Parakuhlia macrophthalmus (Osorio, 1894) occurs along the west coast of Africa to
southern Angola and may be found in our area; it has D
XII,15-16, while our species have D X,9-12.
508
Genus Kuhlia Gill, 1861
Previously known as Dules Cuvier, 1829, but this genus is
found to refer to a serranid fish; preorbital serrate; contains
about 6 species, 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la C with 5 dark oblique stripes; 23-26 GR on
lower limb; LL 48-56 ................................................ K. mugU
Ib C without 5 dark stripes; 16-19 GR on lower
limb; LL 38-44 ............................................. ........ K. rupestris
Barred flagtail
164.1 Kuhlia mugU
(Schneider, 1801)
PLATE 32
Bontstertjie
Sciaena mugil Schneider, in Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 541 (Tahiti).
Dules taeniurus: Smith, SFSA No. 412*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 104*.
Kuhlia mugil: Smith, 1980: 176. Kuhlia taeniurus: van der Elst, 1981:
184*.
D X,9-11; A III 9-11; P 14; GR 12+(23-26); LL 48-56; C covered by
small scales, larger basally; interorbital scaleless, about equals eye.
Spawn throughout the year off Natal coast; use tidepools
as nursery areas. Flagtails are not at all shy of humans; nocturnal predators on crustaceans and small fishes, but in the
daytime shoal in shelter of reefs. A good bait or aquarium
fish, reaches 20 cm; abundant throughout Indo-Pacific from
Galapagos to Africa, south to Cape Agulhas.
164.1 Kuhlia mugi/: 12 em (Transkei).
Rock flagtail
164.2 Kuhlia rupestris
(Lacepede, 1802)
PLATE 44
Klip-vlagstert
Centropomus rupestris Lacepede, 1802: 252 (Reunion). Dules rupestris:
Smith, SFSA No. 413. Kuhlia rupestris: Smith, 1980: 176.
D X,1O-12; A III 9-10; P 13-14; GR (5-6)+(16-19); LL 38- 44.
In sea adults more silvery, in freshwater most scales with
a large dusky spot; juveniles often with oblique blackish
blotch on each C lobe merging with growth to give broad
vertical bar in adults. Reported to reach 2.7 kg; attains 45
cm; Indo-Pacific south to Durban. Good eating.
posteriorly; preorbital ridge entire or serrate; interopercle with 1-4 tiny
spines posteriorly. Band of villiform teeth on jaws, vomer and palatines.
Attains 9 cm. Natal south to Umtata River; reported
from east Africa.
163.3 Ambassis productus
Guichenot, 1866
Longspine glassy
Langstekel-glasvis
Ambassis productus Guichenot, 1866: 130 (Madagascar). Ambassis
commersoni (non Cuvier): Smith, SFSA No. 635*; Hill, 1966: 22; Day,
1974: 95; Blaber, 1978: 34, 40.
D VIIII,9-1O; A III,9-11; P 14-15; LL 28-29; predorsal scales 14-18; 2 or
3 rows of cheek scales; GR (8-10)+(20-23). Depth 2.3-2.8, head 2.5-2.6 in
SL; eye 3.1-3.7 in head. Supraorbital with 1 spine; vertical and lower
edges of preopercle serrate; preopercle ridge serrate; preorbital and suborbital ridges serrate or entire; interopercle with 3-7 serrae. Band of
minute teeth in upper jaw, 2 rows in lower jaw, 1 row on palatines, and a
discontinuous series on vomer.
Attains 15 cm. Madagascar and east African coast to at
least southern Natal.
163.3 Ambassis productus: head of 7.5 em SL specimen (Natal).
Flagtails
Family No. 164: KUHLIIDAE
by M.M. Smith
Vlagsterte
Elongate-oval body with moderate ctenoid scales; mouth
with fine teeth in jaws in bands, and on vomer; palatines
toothed in Kuhlia, toothless in Parakuhlia; tongue toothless; preopercle serrate; opercle with 2 spines; fin spines
strong, a notch before soft dorsal.
Small fishes of shallow tropical waters of the eastern
Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, commonly found in
freshwater and estuaries. Externally resemble freshwater
sunfishes (Centrarchidae) of North America. Previously
known as Duleidae. Two genera; Parakuhlia macrophthalmus (Osorio, 1894) occurs along the west coast of Africa to
southern Angola and may be found in our area; it has D
XII,15-16, while our species have D X,9-12.
508
Genus Kuhlia Gill, 1861
Previously known as Dules Cuvier, 1829, but this genus is
found to refer to a serranid fish; preorbital serrate; contains
about 6 species, 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la C with 5 dark oblique stripes; 23-26 GR on
lower limb; LL 48-56 ................................................ K. mugU
Ib C without 5 dark stripes; 16-19 GR on lower
limb; LL 38-44 ............................................. ........ K. rupestris
Barred flagtail
164.1 Kuhlia mugU
(Schneider, 1801)
PLATE 32
Bontstertjie
Sciaena mugil Schneider, in Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 541 (Tahiti).
Dules taeniurus: Smith, SFSA No. 412*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 104*.
Kuhlia mugil: Smith, 1980: 176. Kuhlia taeniurus: van der Elst, 1981:
184*.
D X,9-11; A III 9-11; P 14; GR 12+(23-26); LL 48-56; C covered by
small scales, larger basally; interorbital scaleless, about equals eye.
Spawn throughout the year off Natal coast; use tidepools
as nursery areas. Flagtails are not at all shy of humans; nocturnal predators on crustaceans and small fishes, but in the
daytime shoal in shelter of reefs. A good bait or aquarium
fish, reaches 20 cm; abundant throughout Indo-Pacific from
Galapagos to Africa, south to Cape Agulhas.
164.1 Kuhlia mugi/: 12 em (Transkei).
Rock flagtail
164.2 Kuhlia rupestris
(Lacepede, 1802)
PLATE 44
Klip-vlagstert
Centropomus rupestris Lacepede, 1802: 252 (Reunion). Dules rupestris:
Smith, SFSA No. 413. Kuhlia rupestris: Smith, 1980: 176.
D X,1O-12; A III 9-10; P 13-14; GR (5-6)+(16-19); LL 38- 44.
In sea adults more silvery, in freshwater most scales with
a large dusky spot; juveniles often with oblique blackish
blotch on each C lobe merging with growth to give broad
vertical bar in adults. Reported to reach 2.7 kg; attains 45
cm; Indo-Pacific south to Durban. Good eating.