D XI,13-15; A III,8; P 17-18; LL51-66; LSS 100-120; GR (8-9)+(16-18).
Body depth 2.5-3.1, head 2.1-2.4 in SL. Flank scales distinctly ctenoid;
preopercle serrate, with 2-5 enlarged serrae at the angle; 2 rows ofteeth at
side oflower jaw.
Attains 70 cm. Natal, Mauritius, Reunion, south India,
Chagos Archipelago east to southern Japan. Adults generally in 80 - 160 m depth range; juveniles have been collected
in 18 m.
166.59 Epinephe/us retouti
Bleeker, 1868
PLATE 45
Red-tipped rockcod
Rooipunt-klipkabeljou
Epinephelus retouti Bleeker, 1868: 339 (Reunion); Postel et aI., 1964:
360*; Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Epin 51*; Randall & Heemstra, MS.
Epinephelus mauritianus Baissac, 1962: 188 (Mauritius).
D XI,16-17; A III,8; P 19-20; LL 64-76; LSS 121-141; GR (6-8)+
(15-16). Body depth 2.5-3.1, head 2.4-2.6 in SL. Flank scales ctenoid, with
auxiliary scales; no scales on maxilla; 2-4 rows ofteeth at side oflower jaw;
nostrils subequal.
Adults generally dull yellowish orange to brownish red
(scales red with greenish grey centres); 5 faint dark bars on
body, the 1st on nape and below D origin, last on C peduncle; pale blue line adjacent to red rim of orbit and completely surrounding eye; D olivaceous to brown, the softrayed part darker, the outer triangular part of each interspinous membrane dark red with a submarginal yellow
band; other fins pale orange-red except upper fourth of C
which is dusky brown. Attains 50 cm. Indian Ocean (Bassas
da India between Mozambique and Madagascar, Reunion,
Mauritius, Chagos) to the central Pacific in depths of 25 -
220m.
166.59 Epinephelus retouti: 10 em SL (Mauritius).
166.60 Epinephelus rivulatus
(Valenciennes, 1830)
PLATES 41 & 45
Halfmoon rockcod
Halfmaan-klipkabeljou
Serranus rivulatus: Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1830: 515 (Reunion).
Epinephelus grammatophorus Boulenger, 1903: 64, PI. 3 (Natal); Smith,
SFSA No. 434*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 69*; Morgans, 1982: 13.
? Epinephelus diaeanthus (non Valenciennes): Smith, SFSA No. 443*.
166: SERRANIDAE (ROCKCODS & SEABASSES)
D XI,16-18; A III,8; P 17-19; LL49-53; LSS 86-102; GR (7-8)+(13-16).
Body depth 2.6-3.3, head 2.4-2.7 in SL. Flank scales ctenoid; nape and
front of body above LL covered with small, embedded cycloid scales.
Head and body generally brownish; each body scale with
a bluish white spot; usually 4 irregular dark bars from base
of D to ventral part of body and a 5th dark bar at C base;
usually 3 or 4 wavy violet lines radiating from eye and a few
short segments of the same colour on cheek and opercle; P
dark grey, usually with a dark red halfmoon-shaped blotch
at the base; dark brown pigment in crease along base of
spinous D. Attains 35 cm. Widely distributed in western
Indian Ocean, from Algoa Bay to India and east to China
and Japan. Commonly caught by shore anglers, also extends
to depths of 120 m.
166.60 Epinephelus rivulatus: 22 em SL (Natal).
166.61 Epinephelus septemfasciatus
(Thunberg, 1793)
PLATE 42
Convict rockcod
Bandiet-klipkabeljou
Perea septemJaseiatus Thunberg, 1793: 56, PI. 1 (Nagasaki). Epinephelus eompressus Postel, Fourmanoir & Gueze, 1964: 364, Fig. 8 (Reun- I
ion). Epinephelus septemJaseiatus: Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Epin 53*.
D XI,13-15; A III,9-1O; P 17-18; LL 63-71; LSS 107-116; GR (8-10)+
(13-18). Body depth 2.5-3.1, head 2.2-2.5 in SL. Maxilla not reaching past
orbit; 2 rows of teeth at side of lower jaw; rear nostrils of adults much
larger than front ones; preopercle serrate, the lower edge with 1 or 2
spines well separated from the enlarged serrae at the angle.
Head and body pale brownish grey, with 7 or 8 dark bars,
the first on nape and the last (broadest and darkest) on
166.61 Epinephelus septemfasciatus: 23 em (after Katayama, 1975).
531
Body depth 2.5-3.1, head 2.1-2.4 in SL. Flank scales distinctly ctenoid;
preopercle serrate, with 2-5 enlarged serrae at the angle; 2 rows ofteeth at
side oflower jaw.
Attains 70 cm. Natal, Mauritius, Reunion, south India,
Chagos Archipelago east to southern Japan. Adults generally in 80 - 160 m depth range; juveniles have been collected
in 18 m.
166.59 Epinephe/us retouti
Bleeker, 1868
PLATE 45
Red-tipped rockcod
Rooipunt-klipkabeljou
Epinephelus retouti Bleeker, 1868: 339 (Reunion); Postel et aI., 1964:
360*; Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Epin 51*; Randall & Heemstra, MS.
Epinephelus mauritianus Baissac, 1962: 188 (Mauritius).
D XI,16-17; A III,8; P 19-20; LL 64-76; LSS 121-141; GR (6-8)+
(15-16). Body depth 2.5-3.1, head 2.4-2.6 in SL. Flank scales ctenoid, with
auxiliary scales; no scales on maxilla; 2-4 rows ofteeth at side oflower jaw;
nostrils subequal.
Adults generally dull yellowish orange to brownish red
(scales red with greenish grey centres); 5 faint dark bars on
body, the 1st on nape and below D origin, last on C peduncle; pale blue line adjacent to red rim of orbit and completely surrounding eye; D olivaceous to brown, the softrayed part darker, the outer triangular part of each interspinous membrane dark red with a submarginal yellow
band; other fins pale orange-red except upper fourth of C
which is dusky brown. Attains 50 cm. Indian Ocean (Bassas
da India between Mozambique and Madagascar, Reunion,
Mauritius, Chagos) to the central Pacific in depths of 25 -
220m.
166.59 Epinephelus retouti: 10 em SL (Mauritius).
166.60 Epinephelus rivulatus
(Valenciennes, 1830)
PLATES 41 & 45
Halfmoon rockcod
Halfmaan-klipkabeljou
Serranus rivulatus: Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1830: 515 (Reunion).
Epinephelus grammatophorus Boulenger, 1903: 64, PI. 3 (Natal); Smith,
SFSA No. 434*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 69*; Morgans, 1982: 13.
? Epinephelus diaeanthus (non Valenciennes): Smith, SFSA No. 443*.
166: SERRANIDAE (ROCKCODS & SEABASSES)
D XI,16-18; A III,8; P 17-19; LL49-53; LSS 86-102; GR (7-8)+(13-16).
Body depth 2.6-3.3, head 2.4-2.7 in SL. Flank scales ctenoid; nape and
front of body above LL covered with small, embedded cycloid scales.
Head and body generally brownish; each body scale with
a bluish white spot; usually 4 irregular dark bars from base
of D to ventral part of body and a 5th dark bar at C base;
usually 3 or 4 wavy violet lines radiating from eye and a few
short segments of the same colour on cheek and opercle; P
dark grey, usually with a dark red halfmoon-shaped blotch
at the base; dark brown pigment in crease along base of
spinous D. Attains 35 cm. Widely distributed in western
Indian Ocean, from Algoa Bay to India and east to China
and Japan. Commonly caught by shore anglers, also extends
to depths of 120 m.
166.60 Epinephelus rivulatus: 22 em SL (Natal).
166.61 Epinephelus septemfasciatus
(Thunberg, 1793)
PLATE 42
Convict rockcod
Bandiet-klipkabeljou
Perea septemJaseiatus Thunberg, 1793: 56, PI. 1 (Nagasaki). Epinephelus eompressus Postel, Fourmanoir & Gueze, 1964: 364, Fig. 8 (Reun- I
ion). Epinephelus septemJaseiatus: Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Epin 53*.
D XI,13-15; A III,9-1O; P 17-18; LL 63-71; LSS 107-116; GR (8-10)+
(13-18). Body depth 2.5-3.1, head 2.2-2.5 in SL. Maxilla not reaching past
orbit; 2 rows of teeth at side of lower jaw; rear nostrils of adults much
larger than front ones; preopercle serrate, the lower edge with 1 or 2
spines well separated from the enlarged serrae at the angle.
Head and body pale brownish grey, with 7 or 8 dark bars,
the first on nape and the last (broadest and darkest) on
166.61 Epinephelus septemfasciatus: 23 em (after Katayama, 1975).
531