166: SERRANIDAE (ROCKCODS & SEABASSES)
at the front; lower jaw with 1 row of small teeth, a large
curved canine on each side , and a pair of outwardly flaring
canines at the front ; vomer and palatines with teeth; tongue
edentate. Maxilla scaly ; no supramaxilla.
166.15 Nemanthias carberryi
Smith,1954
PLATES 33 & 35
Threadfin goldie
Draadvin-goudvissie
Nemanthias carberryi Smith, 1954: 4, Fig. 2 (Kenya) ; 1955: 345 ; 1961 :
365* . Emmelanthias stigmapteron Smith , 1955: 342 , Fig. 2 (east of Port
Alfred) ; 1961: 364*; 1961: 567 , No. 4553; Winterbottom, 1978: 45 .
D XI,16-17 (12 D spines in small juveniles, but first spine is minute and
disappears with growth) ; A III,? ; P 20-21 ; LL50-53; GR (9-11)+(24-26).
Body depth 3.0-3 .2, he ad length 3.2-3.4 in SL.
Attains 7 cm SL. Common on coral reefs in depths of 10 -
30 m. Widespread in the western Indian Ocean east to the
Maldives and south to Natal; adults occur on Aliwal Shoal
south of Durban, and juveniles drift to Port Alfred.
166.15 Nemanthias carberryi: 10 em holotype (Kenya).
Genus Plectranthias Bleeker, 1873
D X,13-18, the fin margin more or less deeply notched
between spinous and soft-rayed parts; C truncate or
rounded , branched rays 12-15; P rays branched or simple.
LL complete or incomplete (with tubed scales ending under
rear part of D). Maxilla scaly or naked; supramaxilla
rudimentary or absent. Jaws with villiform teeth and a few
canines ; vomer and palatines with teeth; tongue edentate.
Lower edge of preopercle with 1-3 antrorse spines in some
species. GR short and few.
Solitary benthic fishes, often seen perched on the substrate like hawkfishes, which some species resemble, not
only in general body shape and physiognomy, but also in
having some of the lower P rays notably enlarged. Some
species occur in deep water, to 360 m. In addition to the 30
species recognised by Randall (1980), 5 more species have
been described since his generic revision was published .
Three species occur in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a LL complete , with 28-31 tube-bearing scales ;
lower edge of preopercl e smooth ... ..... .... ... .... .. ....... P. morgansi
514
1b LL incomplete , ending below middle soft Drays ;
2 large antrorse spines on lower edge of preopercle .. ..... ...... .... .. 2
2a 0 X,13-14 ; P 12-13 .. .... .... .... .. ..... .. ... ............. .... P. longimanus
2b D X,16-17; P 16-18 ....... ...... ... .. ... ........... .. .. .. .... .. . P. winniensis
166.16 Plectranthias longimanus
(Weber, 1913)
PLATE 34
Silverspots
Silwervlekkies
Pteranthias longimanus Weber, 1913: 208, Fig. 54 (Paternoster Ids.,
Indonesia) ; Smith , 1961 : 366*. Plectranthias longimanus: Randall, 1980:
148* .
D X,13-14, the fin divided to the base between spinous and soft-rayed
parts ; A III,6-7 ; P 12-13, all unbranched ; LL 12-16 ending below soft D;
LSS 25-26; GR 1 +(4-7) not counting 3-6 rudiments. C slightly rounded,
with 13 branched rays. Maxilla and lower jaw naked. Body depth 2.6-3.1,
head length 2.2-2.3 in SL.
Attains 3 cm SL. A widespread little species extending
from Natal to Kenya, Comoro Ids. and the Seychelles east
to Fiji and Loyalty Ids. and Japan.
166.16 Plectranthias longimanus: 2.5 em (Kenya) .
Flagfin
166.17 Plectranthias morgansi
(Smith, 1961)
PLATE 34
Vlagvin
Pelontrus morgansi Smith , 1961 : 365 , Fig. 3 (40 fms off Lamu , Kenya).
Plectranthias morgansi: Randall , 1980: 158* .
166.17 Plectranthias morgansi: 3.5 em holotype (Kenya).
at the front; lower jaw with 1 row of small teeth, a large
curved canine on each side , and a pair of outwardly flaring
canines at the front ; vomer and palatines with teeth; tongue
edentate. Maxilla scaly ; no supramaxilla.
166.15 Nemanthias carberryi
Smith,1954
PLATES 33 & 35
Threadfin goldie
Draadvin-goudvissie
Nemanthias carberryi Smith, 1954: 4, Fig. 2 (Kenya) ; 1955: 345 ; 1961 :
365* . Emmelanthias stigmapteron Smith , 1955: 342 , Fig. 2 (east of Port
Alfred) ; 1961: 364*; 1961: 567 , No. 4553; Winterbottom, 1978: 45 .
D XI,16-17 (12 D spines in small juveniles, but first spine is minute and
disappears with growth) ; A III,? ; P 20-21 ; LL50-53; GR (9-11)+(24-26).
Body depth 3.0-3 .2, he ad length 3.2-3.4 in SL.
Attains 7 cm SL. Common on coral reefs in depths of 10 -
30 m. Widespread in the western Indian Ocean east to the
Maldives and south to Natal; adults occur on Aliwal Shoal
south of Durban, and juveniles drift to Port Alfred.
166.15 Nemanthias carberryi: 10 em holotype (Kenya).
Genus Plectranthias Bleeker, 1873
D X,13-18, the fin margin more or less deeply notched
between spinous and soft-rayed parts; C truncate or
rounded , branched rays 12-15; P rays branched or simple.
LL complete or incomplete (with tubed scales ending under
rear part of D). Maxilla scaly or naked; supramaxilla
rudimentary or absent. Jaws with villiform teeth and a few
canines ; vomer and palatines with teeth; tongue edentate.
Lower edge of preopercle with 1-3 antrorse spines in some
species. GR short and few.
Solitary benthic fishes, often seen perched on the substrate like hawkfishes, which some species resemble, not
only in general body shape and physiognomy, but also in
having some of the lower P rays notably enlarged. Some
species occur in deep water, to 360 m. In addition to the 30
species recognised by Randall (1980), 5 more species have
been described since his generic revision was published .
Three species occur in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a LL complete , with 28-31 tube-bearing scales ;
lower edge of preopercl e smooth ... ..... .... ... .... .. ....... P. morgansi
514
1b LL incomplete , ending below middle soft Drays ;
2 large antrorse spines on lower edge of preopercle .. ..... ...... .... .. 2
2a 0 X,13-14 ; P 12-13 .. .... .... .... .. ..... .. ... ............. .... P. longimanus
2b D X,16-17; P 16-18 ....... ...... ... .. ... ........... .. .. .. .... .. . P. winniensis
166.16 Plectranthias longimanus
(Weber, 1913)
PLATE 34
Silverspots
Silwervlekkies
Pteranthias longimanus Weber, 1913: 208, Fig. 54 (Paternoster Ids.,
Indonesia) ; Smith , 1961 : 366*. Plectranthias longimanus: Randall, 1980:
148* .
D X,13-14, the fin divided to the base between spinous and soft-rayed
parts ; A III,6-7 ; P 12-13, all unbranched ; LL 12-16 ending below soft D;
LSS 25-26; GR 1 +(4-7) not counting 3-6 rudiments. C slightly rounded,
with 13 branched rays. Maxilla and lower jaw naked. Body depth 2.6-3.1,
head length 2.2-2.3 in SL.
Attains 3 cm SL. A widespread little species extending
from Natal to Kenya, Comoro Ids. and the Seychelles east
to Fiji and Loyalty Ids. and Japan.
166.16 Plectranthias longimanus: 2.5 em (Kenya) .
Flagfin
166.17 Plectranthias morgansi
(Smith, 1961)
PLATE 34
Vlagvin
Pelontrus morgansi Smith , 1961 : 365 , Fig. 3 (40 fms off Lamu , Kenya).
Plectranthias morgansi: Randall , 1980: 158* .
166.17 Plectranthias morgansi: 3.5 em holotype (Kenya).