166: SERRANIDAE (ROCKCODS & SEABASSES)
2a Maxilla naked; LL scales 67-77 ......................... SERRANINAE
2b Maxilla scaly in most species; LL scales 28-60
(except Luzonichthys microlepis, which has 72-7S) ... ANTHIINAE
Subfamily ANTHIINAE
Dorsal fin with 10-13 spines and 13-16 soft-rays; anal fin
with 6-9 soft-rays; caudal fin branched rays usually 13. Vertebrae 26.
Anthiines are an assemblage of small to moderate-sized
(4-40 cm SL) colourful serranids comprising some 20 genera
and at least 100 species, many of which are still undescribed.
There are 18 species that are known from or are likely to
occur in our area.
The generic classification of the Anthiinae is not satisfactory. The genus Anthias is an unnatural assemblage, but we
continue its use here pending a complete revision of the
taxonomy of this subfamily.
Ecologically, there seem to be three kinds of anthiine
fishes. The first type are small, schooling, plankton-feeding
fishes (e.g. Anthias squamipinnis) that are often associated
with coral reefs. These species are sexually dichromatic
protogynous hermaphrodites. Each little school comprises
one to a few large, distinctively coloured adult males plus
several smaller, adult females and numerous juveniles
coloured like the females. Each male will spawn with several females of his "harem". If a male is taken by a predator,
the largest ( dominant) female changes sex and colour pattern to take the place of the missing male. The transformation of the ovary to a testis and the simultaneous colour pattern change occurs within two weeks in A. squamipinnis.
The second kind of anthiine species is the larger, deepwater, plankton feeder (e.g. Holanthias natalensis). These
fish seem to be non-schooling, occurring in depths of 50 -
200 m. Sexual dichromatism is rare in this group.
The third kind of anthiine fish is the solitary, benthic
species (e.g. Acanthistius sebastoides and Plectranthias
spp.). This type of anthiine may be a large or a small
species, and does not exhibit sexual dichromatism. These
benthic species have fewer and shorter gill-rakers than their
plankton-feeding relatives, and they feed on benthic crustaceans and small fishes.
KEY TO GENERA
1a D with 12 (very rarely 11 or 13) strong spines; anterior
nostril with a broad, usually fringed flap; lower edge
of preopercle with 2 or 3 large antrorse spines............ Acanthistius
Ib D spines 10 or 11 (small juveniles of Nemanthias
have 12 spines, but the first one is very small and
disappears with growth); no broad flap on anterior
nostril; no large antrorse spines on preopercle (except
in two of the three South African Plectranthias) ....................... 2
510
2a Lateral scale series (= LL scales if LL is complete)
= 2S-31 ............................................................ Plectranthias
2b LL39-7S ......................................................................... 3
3a D divided to the base between spinous and
soft-rayed parts ................................................ Luzollichthys
3b D continuous, not divided into two parts ................................ 4
4a Tongue with a patch of minute teeth (tooth patch
reduced or absent in specimens of Holanthias
natalensis larger than 30 cm SL); body depth
2.0-2.9 in SL ........................................................ Holanthias
4b No teeth on tongue; body depth 2.S-3.3 in SL .......................... S
Sa D spines 11, the first 2 spines elongate in adults .......... Nemanthias
Sb D spines 10, the first 2 not elongate ............................... Anthias
Genus Acanthistius Gill, 1862
Scales small, 90-160 lateral scale series; LL complete, the
tubes with 2-5 branches. Supramaxilla present. Jaws with
inner row or rows of small, slender teeth and outer row of
larger, curved canines; vomer and palatines with teeth;
tongue smooth. Preopercle serrate, with 2 or 3 large, antrorse
spines on lower edge. C truncate, with 15 branched rays; D
single; P rays mostly branched.
About 8 species; temperate waters of South Africa,
Australia, New Zealand and Chile. Two species in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Maxilla apparently naked; Prays 19-21; head, body
and spinous D covered with small orange spots ........ A. sebastoides
Ib Maxilla with distinct ctenoid scales; Prays 18;
no small orange spots as above ....................................... A. sp.
Koester
166.1 Acanthistius sebastoides
(Castelnau,1861)
PLATE 32
Koester
Serranus cuvieri (non Smith): Castelnau, 1861: 2. Serranus sebastoides
Castelnau, 1861: 3 (Algoa Bay and Simonstown). Acanthistius sebastoides:
Boulenger, 189S: 141; Smith, SFSA No. 431 *; Smith & Smith, 1966: 88*.
Perciform species 1: Brownell, 1979: 24*.
D XI-XIII,IS-17; A III,7-8; P 19-21; LS 90-lOS; LLSO-SS; lower GR8-9
plus 4-6 rudiments. Rear margin of anterior nostril with a large, usually
fringed flap of skin; rear nostril also often fringed. Maxilla with minute,
embedded (generally indiscernible) scales.
Head and body buff, covered with small orange spots and
few scattered dark brown blotches; caudal and anal fins
dark grey, pelvics dusky yellow. Attains 35 cm. From
Namibia to Maputo, common among rocks in depths of 1 to
at least 20 m. A sedentary species often taken by anglers.
Flesh excellent.
2a Maxilla naked; LL scales 67-77 ......................... SERRANINAE
2b Maxilla scaly in most species; LL scales 28-60
(except Luzonichthys microlepis, which has 72-7S) ... ANTHIINAE
Subfamily ANTHIINAE
Dorsal fin with 10-13 spines and 13-16 soft-rays; anal fin
with 6-9 soft-rays; caudal fin branched rays usually 13. Vertebrae 26.
Anthiines are an assemblage of small to moderate-sized
(4-40 cm SL) colourful serranids comprising some 20 genera
and at least 100 species, many of which are still undescribed.
There are 18 species that are known from or are likely to
occur in our area.
The generic classification of the Anthiinae is not satisfactory. The genus Anthias is an unnatural assemblage, but we
continue its use here pending a complete revision of the
taxonomy of this subfamily.
Ecologically, there seem to be three kinds of anthiine
fishes. The first type are small, schooling, plankton-feeding
fishes (e.g. Anthias squamipinnis) that are often associated
with coral reefs. These species are sexually dichromatic
protogynous hermaphrodites. Each little school comprises
one to a few large, distinctively coloured adult males plus
several smaller, adult females and numerous juveniles
coloured like the females. Each male will spawn with several females of his "harem". If a male is taken by a predator,
the largest ( dominant) female changes sex and colour pattern to take the place of the missing male. The transformation of the ovary to a testis and the simultaneous colour pattern change occurs within two weeks in A. squamipinnis.
The second kind of anthiine species is the larger, deepwater, plankton feeder (e.g. Holanthias natalensis). These
fish seem to be non-schooling, occurring in depths of 50 -
200 m. Sexual dichromatism is rare in this group.
The third kind of anthiine fish is the solitary, benthic
species (e.g. Acanthistius sebastoides and Plectranthias
spp.). This type of anthiine may be a large or a small
species, and does not exhibit sexual dichromatism. These
benthic species have fewer and shorter gill-rakers than their
plankton-feeding relatives, and they feed on benthic crustaceans and small fishes.
KEY TO GENERA
1a D with 12 (very rarely 11 or 13) strong spines; anterior
nostril with a broad, usually fringed flap; lower edge
of preopercle with 2 or 3 large antrorse spines............ Acanthistius
Ib D spines 10 or 11 (small juveniles of Nemanthias
have 12 spines, but the first one is very small and
disappears with growth); no broad flap on anterior
nostril; no large antrorse spines on preopercle (except
in two of the three South African Plectranthias) ....................... 2
510
2a Lateral scale series (= LL scales if LL is complete)
= 2S-31 ............................................................ Plectranthias
2b LL39-7S ......................................................................... 3
3a D divided to the base between spinous and
soft-rayed parts ................................................ Luzollichthys
3b D continuous, not divided into two parts ................................ 4
4a Tongue with a patch of minute teeth (tooth patch
reduced or absent in specimens of Holanthias
natalensis larger than 30 cm SL); body depth
2.0-2.9 in SL ........................................................ Holanthias
4b No teeth on tongue; body depth 2.S-3.3 in SL .......................... S
Sa D spines 11, the first 2 spines elongate in adults .......... Nemanthias
Sb D spines 10, the first 2 not elongate ............................... Anthias
Genus Acanthistius Gill, 1862
Scales small, 90-160 lateral scale series; LL complete, the
tubes with 2-5 branches. Supramaxilla present. Jaws with
inner row or rows of small, slender teeth and outer row of
larger, curved canines; vomer and palatines with teeth;
tongue smooth. Preopercle serrate, with 2 or 3 large, antrorse
spines on lower edge. C truncate, with 15 branched rays; D
single; P rays mostly branched.
About 8 species; temperate waters of South Africa,
Australia, New Zealand and Chile. Two species in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Maxilla apparently naked; Prays 19-21; head, body
and spinous D covered with small orange spots ........ A. sebastoides
Ib Maxilla with distinct ctenoid scales; Prays 18;
no small orange spots as above ....................................... A. sp.
Koester
166.1 Acanthistius sebastoides
(Castelnau,1861)
PLATE 32
Koester
Serranus cuvieri (non Smith): Castelnau, 1861: 2. Serranus sebastoides
Castelnau, 1861: 3 (Algoa Bay and Simonstown). Acanthistius sebastoides:
Boulenger, 189S: 141; Smith, SFSA No. 431 *; Smith & Smith, 1966: 88*.
Perciform species 1: Brownell, 1979: 24*.
D XI-XIII,IS-17; A III,7-8; P 19-21; LS 90-lOS; LLSO-SS; lower GR8-9
plus 4-6 rudiments. Rear margin of anterior nostril with a large, usually
fringed flap of skin; rear nostril also often fringed. Maxilla with minute,
embedded (generally indiscernible) scales.
Head and body buff, covered with small orange spots and
few scattered dark brown blotches; caudal and anal fins
dark grey, pelvics dusky yellow. Attains 35 cm. From
Namibia to Maputo, common among rocks in depths of 1 to
at least 20 m. A sedentary species often taken by anglers.
Flesh excellent.