2a LL 39-43; A III,7; lower GR 27-29; vomerine tooth
patch diamond-shaped ........................................ H. borbonius
2b LL 43-53; A III,8-9; lower GR 24-26; vomerine tooth
patch chevron-shaped ......................................... H. natalensis
166.10 Holanthias borbonius
(Valenciennes, 1828)
PLATES 33 & 35
Checked swallowtail
Geruite swaelstert
Serranus Borbonius Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1828: 263 (Reunion).
Aylopon mauritianus Guichenot, 1868: 86 (Mauritius). Anthias ornatus
Fourmanoir, 1954: 213, Fig. 8 (Comoro Ids.). Holanthias borbonius:
Smith, 1955: 344; 1961: 360*; Smith, 1975: 36; Mauge,1980: 23* (in part).
D X,17-18; A III,?; P 16-18; LL 39-43; GR (11-13)+(27-29). Body
depth 2.0-2.3, head 2.6-2.8 in SL. Vomer and palatines with broad patches
of minute teeth, the vomerine patch extending posteriorly past middle of
palatine tooth patches; large oval patch of teeth on tongue; endo- and
ectopterygoids usually bear tooth patches as well. C lobes acute in specimens less than 10 cm SL, but our 15 cm SL specimen has the C lobes
rounded (paddle-shaped).
Attains at least 15 cm SL. Mauritius, Reunion, Comoro
Ids., Madagascar and Japan; 1 specimen caught off Durban.
166.11 Holanthias caudicinctus
Heemstra & Randall, 1986
PLATE 34
Blackblotch swallowtail
Swartvlek-swaelstert
Holanthias caudicinctus Heemstra & Randall, 1986: 00, Fig. 00 (off
Kenya).
D X,14; A III ,7-8; P 18-19; LL 45-52; GR (11-12)+(25-28). Body depth
2.6-2.9, head 2.5-2.7 in SL. Broad patches of minute teeth on vomer,
palatines and tongue; vomerine patch extends posteriorly past middle of
palatine tooth patches.
Attains 10 cm SL. A deep~water species taken in 140 - 300
m off Kenya; probably will be found in our area.
166.12 Holanthias natalensis
(Fowler, 1925)
PLATE 35
Gorgeous swallowtail
Pronk-swaelstert
Sacura natalensis Fowler,1925: 226, Fig. 2 (Natal). Holanthiasfurcatus
Pellegrin, 1935: 51 (Reunion). Glaucosoma peaolopesi Smith, 1939: 216,
Fig. 1 (southern Mozambique). Holanthias natalensis: Smith, SFSA No.
456*; 1961: 360*.
D X,17-19; A III,8-9; P 16-18; LL 43-53; GR (10-12)+(24-26). Body
depth 2.0-2.2, head length 2.7-3.1 in SL. Minute teeth on vomer and
palatines; vomerine tooth patch chevron-shaped, without a median posterior extension; juveniles with a small patch of teeth on tongue which is
absent in adults.
Attains at least 37 cm SL. A beautiful fish known from
East London to Madagascar and Reunion.
166: SERRANIDAE (ROCKCODS & SEABASSES)
Genus Luzonichthys Herre, 1936
D divided to the base between spinous and soft-rayed
parts. LL complete. Maxilla scaly; no supramaxilla. Teeth
small, uniserial onjaws; palatines with 1 or2 rows of minute
teeth; vomer and tongue edentate. Rear edge of orbit with
several papillae. Rear edge of preopercle serrate, lower
edge smooth. C lunate, with 13 branched rays.
Small, schooling fishes of the deep reef habitat (40 - 100
m). Six species have been described, but 3 of these may not
be valid. Two species likely to occur in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la LL 49-56; body depth 3.2-3.5 in SL; A III,7 .................. L. addisi
Ib LL 72-74; body depth 4.0-4.4 in SL; A II-III,8-9 ........ L. microlepis
166.13 Luzonichthys addisi
(Smith, 1955)
PLATE 35
Magenta splitfin
Magenta-spleetvin
Naurua addisi Smith, 1955: 348, Fig. 4 (Aldabra Id.). Luzonichthys
addisi: Smith, 1961: 367*; Randall, 1981: 13.
D X,15-16; A III ,7; P 19-21; GR (7-9)+(20-24). Head length 3.2-3.6 in
SL.
Attains 5.5 cm SL. Previously known from Astove and
Aldabra Ids.; we have examined specimens from Assumption Id., St. Brandon's Shoals and the Chagos Archipelago.
Very similar to L. waitei (Fowler, 1931) of the western
Pacific, of which L. robustus Fourmanoir, 1977 is probably
a synonym.
166.14 Luzonichthys microlepis
(Smith, 1955)
PLATE~5
Slender splitfin
Siank spleetvin
Naurua microlepis Smith, 1955: 345, Fig. 3 (Aldabra Id.). Luzonichthys
microlepis: Smith, 1961: 368*; Randall, 1981: 13.
D X,15-16; A II-III,8-9; P21-24; GR (7-8)+(21-23). Third A element is
a spine-like ray with a few segmentations at the tip. Head length 3.4-3.6 in
SL.
Attains 6 cm SL. Aldabra; we have seen specimens from
St. Brandon's Shoals.
Genus Nemanthias Smith, 1954
D continuous, with 11 spines; first 2 spines elongate and
flexible (in fish longer than 3 cm SL); D and A naked; C
forked, branched rays 13. GR long and numerous. Front of
upper lip thickened, with a nipple-like papilla at the midline. Narrow band of villiform teeth in upper jaw, with an
outer row of larger teeth and 2 pairs of canines on each side
513
patch diamond-shaped ........................................ H. borbonius
2b LL 43-53; A III,8-9; lower GR 24-26; vomerine tooth
patch chevron-shaped ......................................... H. natalensis
166.10 Holanthias borbonius
(Valenciennes, 1828)
PLATES 33 & 35
Checked swallowtail
Geruite swaelstert
Serranus Borbonius Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1828: 263 (Reunion).
Aylopon mauritianus Guichenot, 1868: 86 (Mauritius). Anthias ornatus
Fourmanoir, 1954: 213, Fig. 8 (Comoro Ids.). Holanthias borbonius:
Smith, 1955: 344; 1961: 360*; Smith, 1975: 36; Mauge,1980: 23* (in part).
D X,17-18; A III,?; P 16-18; LL 39-43; GR (11-13)+(27-29). Body
depth 2.0-2.3, head 2.6-2.8 in SL. Vomer and palatines with broad patches
of minute teeth, the vomerine patch extending posteriorly past middle of
palatine tooth patches; large oval patch of teeth on tongue; endo- and
ectopterygoids usually bear tooth patches as well. C lobes acute in specimens less than 10 cm SL, but our 15 cm SL specimen has the C lobes
rounded (paddle-shaped).
Attains at least 15 cm SL. Mauritius, Reunion, Comoro
Ids., Madagascar and Japan; 1 specimen caught off Durban.
166.11 Holanthias caudicinctus
Heemstra & Randall, 1986
PLATE 34
Blackblotch swallowtail
Swartvlek-swaelstert
Holanthias caudicinctus Heemstra & Randall, 1986: 00, Fig. 00 (off
Kenya).
D X,14; A III ,7-8; P 18-19; LL 45-52; GR (11-12)+(25-28). Body depth
2.6-2.9, head 2.5-2.7 in SL. Broad patches of minute teeth on vomer,
palatines and tongue; vomerine patch extends posteriorly past middle of
palatine tooth patches.
Attains 10 cm SL. A deep~water species taken in 140 - 300
m off Kenya; probably will be found in our area.
166.12 Holanthias natalensis
(Fowler, 1925)
PLATE 35
Gorgeous swallowtail
Pronk-swaelstert
Sacura natalensis Fowler,1925: 226, Fig. 2 (Natal). Holanthiasfurcatus
Pellegrin, 1935: 51 (Reunion). Glaucosoma peaolopesi Smith, 1939: 216,
Fig. 1 (southern Mozambique). Holanthias natalensis: Smith, SFSA No.
456*; 1961: 360*.
D X,17-19; A III,8-9; P 16-18; LL 43-53; GR (10-12)+(24-26). Body
depth 2.0-2.2, head length 2.7-3.1 in SL. Minute teeth on vomer and
palatines; vomerine tooth patch chevron-shaped, without a median posterior extension; juveniles with a small patch of teeth on tongue which is
absent in adults.
Attains at least 37 cm SL. A beautiful fish known from
East London to Madagascar and Reunion.
166: SERRANIDAE (ROCKCODS & SEABASSES)
Genus Luzonichthys Herre, 1936
D divided to the base between spinous and soft-rayed
parts. LL complete. Maxilla scaly; no supramaxilla. Teeth
small, uniserial onjaws; palatines with 1 or2 rows of minute
teeth; vomer and tongue edentate. Rear edge of orbit with
several papillae. Rear edge of preopercle serrate, lower
edge smooth. C lunate, with 13 branched rays.
Small, schooling fishes of the deep reef habitat (40 - 100
m). Six species have been described, but 3 of these may not
be valid. Two species likely to occur in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la LL 49-56; body depth 3.2-3.5 in SL; A III,7 .................. L. addisi
Ib LL 72-74; body depth 4.0-4.4 in SL; A II-III,8-9 ........ L. microlepis
166.13 Luzonichthys addisi
(Smith, 1955)
PLATE 35
Magenta splitfin
Magenta-spleetvin
Naurua addisi Smith, 1955: 348, Fig. 4 (Aldabra Id.). Luzonichthys
addisi: Smith, 1961: 367*; Randall, 1981: 13.
D X,15-16; A III ,7; P 19-21; GR (7-9)+(20-24). Head length 3.2-3.6 in
SL.
Attains 5.5 cm SL. Previously known from Astove and
Aldabra Ids.; we have examined specimens from Assumption Id., St. Brandon's Shoals and the Chagos Archipelago.
Very similar to L. waitei (Fowler, 1931) of the western
Pacific, of which L. robustus Fourmanoir, 1977 is probably
a synonym.
166.14 Luzonichthys microlepis
(Smith, 1955)
PLATE~5
Slender splitfin
Siank spleetvin
Naurua microlepis Smith, 1955: 345, Fig. 3 (Aldabra Id.). Luzonichthys
microlepis: Smith, 1961: 368*; Randall, 1981: 13.
D X,15-16; A II-III,8-9; P21-24; GR (7-8)+(21-23). Third A element is
a spine-like ray with a few segmentations at the tip. Head length 3.4-3.6 in
SL.
Attains 6 cm SL. Aldabra; we have seen specimens from
St. Brandon's Shoals.
Genus Nemanthias Smith, 1954
D continuous, with 11 spines; first 2 spines elongate and
flexible (in fish longer than 3 cm SL); D and A naked; C
forked, branched rays 13. GR long and numerous. Front of
upper lip thickened, with a nipple-like papilla at the midline. Narrow band of villiform teeth in upper jaw, with an
outer row of larger teeth and 2 pairs of canines on each side
513