8a Longest D spine 2.9-3.2 in head; 6 dark brown
blotches dorsally on body (4 along D base and 2
on peduncle) .................................................. C. sexmaculata
8b Longest D spine 3.2-3.S in head; no dark blotches
along back ........................................................... C. miniata
9a LSS 87-100; subopercle and interopercle smooth
(rarely with a few small serrae on interopercle);
pale red in life, mottled with brownish red; C with
narrow bluish white rear edge, becoming
submarginal at corners of fin ............................... C. spi/oparaea
9b LSS 103-177; subopercle and interopercle finely
serrate; orange-yellow to pale orange-red with yellow
to orange dots on head and anterodorsally on body;
C with a black submarginal line posteriorly ................ C. aurantia
166.21 Cephalopholis argus
Schneider, 1801
PLATE 34
Peacock rockcod
Pou-klipkabeljou
Cephalopholis argus Schneider, in Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 311, PI. 61
(East Indies); Smith, SFSA No. 425*; Morgans, 1982: 11*; Randall &
Ben-Tuvia, 1983: 381*; Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Cephal 9*.
Cephalopholis miniatus (non Forsskal): Smith, SFSA No. 423* (Fig. only).
D IX,IS-17; A III,9; P 16-18; LL 46-S1; LSS 9S-110; GR (9-11)+(17-19).
Body depth 2.7-3.2, head length 2.3-2.6 in SL.
Attains 50 cm. The most common and widespread species
of the genus, extending from the Red Sea south to Durban,
and to the central Pacific as far as the Pitcairn Group.
166.21 Cephalopholis argus: 30 em (N. Mozambique).
166.22 Cephalopholis aurantia
(Valenciennes, 1828)
PLATE 36
Golden rockcod
Goue klipkabeljou
Serranus aurantius Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1828: 30S (Seychelles). Cephalopholis aurantius: Smith, SFSA No. 422* (in part); Heemstra
& Randall, 1984: Cephal 10* .
D IX,14-1S; A III,9; P 17-18; LL 48-S3; LSS 103-117; GR (8-9)+
(16-17). Body depth 2.7-2.9S, head 2.S-2.7 in SL.
Attains 60 cm. A deep-water species generally found in
depths of 50 - 150 m; known from Mauritius, Reunion,
Seychelles, east and southern Africa (to Durban). Rare.
166: SERRANIDAE (ROCKCODS & SEABASSES)
166.22 Cephalopholis aurantia: 22 em SL (Mauritius).
166.23 Cephalopholis boenack
(Bloch, 1790)
PLATES 36 & 37
Brownbarred rockcod
Bruinbalk-klipkabeljou
Bodianus hoenack Bloch, 1790: 43, PI. 226 (Japan). Cephalopholis
pachycentron: Smith, SFSA No. 425a*; Morgans, 1982: 11. Cephalopholis
hoenack: Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Cephal 11 *.
D IX,1S-17; A III,8; P IS-18; LL47-S1; LSS 86-100; GR (7-8)+(14-17).
Body depth 2.6-3.0, head length 2.4-2.6 in SL.
Attains 22 cm. Usually found on dead reefs in protected
waters. Some fish with dark bands radiating from eye.
Western Indian Ocean south to Delagoa Bay and east to the
central Pacific.
166.23 Cephalopholis boenack: 20.5 em SL (Delagoa Bay).
166.24 Cephalopholis formosa
(Shaw, 1804)
PLATE 37
Bluelined rockcod
Bloustreep-klipkabeljou
Sciaenaformosa Shaw, 1804: 22, PI. 26 (India). Cephalopholis formosa:
Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Cephal 12*.
D IX,IS-17; A III,7-8; P 16-18; LL 47-S2; LSS 96-109; GR (8-10)+
(IS-18). Body depth 2.S-2.9, head length 2.S-2.6 in SL.
Attains 34 cm. Head and body usually dark brown, with
wavy longitudinal dark blue lines; some fish with ground
colour yellowish or reddish brown on ventral half of head
and body. Often misidentified as Cephalopholis boenack.
East African coast south to Zanzibar; also India, Sri Lanka
and western Pacific (Japan to Queensland); possibly occurs
in our area.
517
blotches dorsally on body (4 along D base and 2
on peduncle) .................................................. C. sexmaculata
8b Longest D spine 3.2-3.S in head; no dark blotches
along back ........................................................... C. miniata
9a LSS 87-100; subopercle and interopercle smooth
(rarely with a few small serrae on interopercle);
pale red in life, mottled with brownish red; C with
narrow bluish white rear edge, becoming
submarginal at corners of fin ............................... C. spi/oparaea
9b LSS 103-177; subopercle and interopercle finely
serrate; orange-yellow to pale orange-red with yellow
to orange dots on head and anterodorsally on body;
C with a black submarginal line posteriorly ................ C. aurantia
166.21 Cephalopholis argus
Schneider, 1801
PLATE 34
Peacock rockcod
Pou-klipkabeljou
Cephalopholis argus Schneider, in Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 311, PI. 61
(East Indies); Smith, SFSA No. 425*; Morgans, 1982: 11*; Randall &
Ben-Tuvia, 1983: 381*; Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Cephal 9*.
Cephalopholis miniatus (non Forsskal): Smith, SFSA No. 423* (Fig. only).
D IX,IS-17; A III,9; P 16-18; LL 46-S1; LSS 9S-110; GR (9-11)+(17-19).
Body depth 2.7-3.2, head length 2.3-2.6 in SL.
Attains 50 cm. The most common and widespread species
of the genus, extending from the Red Sea south to Durban,
and to the central Pacific as far as the Pitcairn Group.
166.21 Cephalopholis argus: 30 em (N. Mozambique).
166.22 Cephalopholis aurantia
(Valenciennes, 1828)
PLATE 36
Golden rockcod
Goue klipkabeljou
Serranus aurantius Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1828: 30S (Seychelles). Cephalopholis aurantius: Smith, SFSA No. 422* (in part); Heemstra
& Randall, 1984: Cephal 10* .
D IX,14-1S; A III,9; P 17-18; LL 48-S3; LSS 103-117; GR (8-9)+
(16-17). Body depth 2.7-2.9S, head 2.S-2.7 in SL.
Attains 60 cm. A deep-water species generally found in
depths of 50 - 150 m; known from Mauritius, Reunion,
Seychelles, east and southern Africa (to Durban). Rare.
166: SERRANIDAE (ROCKCODS & SEABASSES)
166.22 Cephalopholis aurantia: 22 em SL (Mauritius).
166.23 Cephalopholis boenack
(Bloch, 1790)
PLATES 36 & 37
Brownbarred rockcod
Bruinbalk-klipkabeljou
Bodianus hoenack Bloch, 1790: 43, PI. 226 (Japan). Cephalopholis
pachycentron: Smith, SFSA No. 425a*; Morgans, 1982: 11. Cephalopholis
hoenack: Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Cephal 11 *.
D IX,1S-17; A III,8; P IS-18; LL47-S1; LSS 86-100; GR (7-8)+(14-17).
Body depth 2.6-3.0, head length 2.4-2.6 in SL.
Attains 22 cm. Usually found on dead reefs in protected
waters. Some fish with dark bands radiating from eye.
Western Indian Ocean south to Delagoa Bay and east to the
central Pacific.
166.23 Cephalopholis boenack: 20.5 em SL (Delagoa Bay).
166.24 Cephalopholis formosa
(Shaw, 1804)
PLATE 37
Bluelined rockcod
Bloustreep-klipkabeljou
Sciaenaformosa Shaw, 1804: 22, PI. 26 (India). Cephalopholis formosa:
Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Cephal 12*.
D IX,IS-17; A III,7-8; P 16-18; LL 47-S2; LSS 96-109; GR (8-10)+
(IS-18). Body depth 2.S-2.9, head length 2.S-2.6 in SL.
Attains 34 cm. Head and body usually dark brown, with
wavy longitudinal dark blue lines; some fish with ground
colour yellowish or reddish brown on ventral half of head
and body. Often misidentified as Cephalopholis boenack.
East African coast south to Zanzibar; also India, Sri Lanka
and western Pacific (Japan to Queensland); possibly occurs
in our area.
517