166: SERRANIDAE (ROCKCODS & SEABASSES)
166.68 Gracila albomarginata
(Fowler & Bean, 1930)
PLATE 43
Red-edgedrockcod
Rooirand-klipkabeljou
Cephalopholis albomarginatus Fowler & Bean, 1930: 235, Fig. 11
(Danawan Id. , Borneo). Aethaloperca albomarginata: Smith, 1954: 925*.
Gracila albomarginata: Randall, 1964: 282*; Heemstra & Randall, 1984:
Gracill *.
D IX,14-15; A III,9; P 17-19; LL 67-73; LSS 101-117; GR (8-9)+
(15-17).
Adults dark greenish to brownish grey or reddish brown,
with 16-20 faint, curved dark bars on midlateral part of body
and peduncle; a diffuse dark spot midlaterally at C base; 4
or 5 oblique, dark blue lines on head; margin of soft D and
A reddish orange with a submarginal mauve band; corners
and rear margin of C reddish or mauve. Juveniles brown or
violet, with a broad red-orange stripe in D and A and in C
lobe, extending forward onto dorsal and ventral edges of C
peduncle. Attains 40 cm. Northern Mozambique to Zanzibar and islands of western Indian Ocean; also East Indies,
southern Japan and New Caledonia. Usually in outer reef
areas deeper than 15 m; an active grouper not inclined to
stay near the bottom.
166.68 Gracila albomarginata: 31 em SL (Seychelles).
166.69 Gracila polleni
(Bleeker, 1868)
PLATE 43
Harlequin rockcod
Harlekyn-klipkabeljou
Epinephelus polleni Bleeker, 1868: 336 (Reunion). Cephalopholis virgatus Fourmanoir, 1954: 214 (Anjouan Id., Comores). Cephalopholis polleni: Morgans, 1982: 8. Gracila polleni: Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Gracil
2*
166.69 Gracila polleni: 20 em SL (Mauritius).
534
D IX,14; A III,9; P 17-19; LL 65-75; LSS 111-120; GR (7-8)+(14-16).
Mainly yellow with dark-edged blue stripes as shown in
the colour plate. Attains 35 cm. Comores, Madagascar,
Mauritius, Reunion, Rodrigues and Chagos Archipelago;
also eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific to southern
Japan.
Genus Plectropomus Oken, 1817
Body elongate, the depth 2.9-3.B in SL; D VII-VIII,lO-l1;
A III,B (the spines small and inconspicuous); C emarginate
to truncate; paired fins short; middle P rays longest; a pair
of large canines at front of jaws and 1-4 fixed canines on rear
half of lower jaw; preopercle rounded, the lower edge with
3 or 4 large antrorse spines (usually covered by skin); opercular spines poorly developed.
Large, active, piscivorous reef fishes. About 7 species,
distinguished primarily by colour patterns; species distinction is complicated by intraspecies variation in colour patterns and two different colour phases of P. laevis; 4 species
known or likely to occur in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la C truncate; interorbital area and top of snout
with small embedded scales; P 15-16; head and
body covered with round dark-edged blue spots .......... P. areolatus
1 b C slightly emarginate; interorbital and top of
snout naked; P 15-18; dark-edged blue spots present
or absent (if present, smaller than those of areolatus,
not always round, and mayor may not extend
ventrally on head and body) ................................................ 2
2a Adults greyish brown, mottled with dark and light,
without any spots on dark bars; juveniles with
numerous pale dashes on body ............................... P. punctatus
2b Body with numerous, dark-edged, round or elongate
blue spots (spots sparse on the pale black-saddled
colour phase of P. laevis) .................................................... 3
3a Prays 16-18 (rarely 16); 4 broad, dark brown "saddle" blotches
on body (Ion nape and 3 under D); 1 colour phase is white
with yellow fins, the dark saddle blotches very prominent,
the blue spots few; the other colour phase is dark
brownish red with numerous small, dark-edged blue
spots, the dark saddle blotches less evident .................... P. laevis
3b Prays 16-17 (rarely 17); no dark saddle blotches
on body ......................................................... P. pessuliferus
166.70 Plectropomus areolatus
Ruppeil,1828
PLATE 43
Squaretailleopardgrouper Stompstert -Iuiperdkabeljou
Plectropomus (maculalum) areolatum Riippell, 1828: 143 (Red Sea).
Plectropomus truncatus: Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Plect 2*.
D VIII,II; A III,8; P 15-16; LL 88-105; GR poorly developed, raker at
angle of 1st arch about ~ length of gill filaments. Body depth 3.1-3.7 in SL.
Middle C rays not much shorter than upper and lower rays. Nostrils subequal.
166.68 Gracila albomarginata
(Fowler & Bean, 1930)
PLATE 43
Red-edgedrockcod
Rooirand-klipkabeljou
Cephalopholis albomarginatus Fowler & Bean, 1930: 235, Fig. 11
(Danawan Id. , Borneo). Aethaloperca albomarginata: Smith, 1954: 925*.
Gracila albomarginata: Randall, 1964: 282*; Heemstra & Randall, 1984:
Gracill *.
D IX,14-15; A III,9; P 17-19; LL 67-73; LSS 101-117; GR (8-9)+
(15-17).
Adults dark greenish to brownish grey or reddish brown,
with 16-20 faint, curved dark bars on midlateral part of body
and peduncle; a diffuse dark spot midlaterally at C base; 4
or 5 oblique, dark blue lines on head; margin of soft D and
A reddish orange with a submarginal mauve band; corners
and rear margin of C reddish or mauve. Juveniles brown or
violet, with a broad red-orange stripe in D and A and in C
lobe, extending forward onto dorsal and ventral edges of C
peduncle. Attains 40 cm. Northern Mozambique to Zanzibar and islands of western Indian Ocean; also East Indies,
southern Japan and New Caledonia. Usually in outer reef
areas deeper than 15 m; an active grouper not inclined to
stay near the bottom.
166.68 Gracila albomarginata: 31 em SL (Seychelles).
166.69 Gracila polleni
(Bleeker, 1868)
PLATE 43
Harlequin rockcod
Harlekyn-klipkabeljou
Epinephelus polleni Bleeker, 1868: 336 (Reunion). Cephalopholis virgatus Fourmanoir, 1954: 214 (Anjouan Id., Comores). Cephalopholis polleni: Morgans, 1982: 8. Gracila polleni: Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Gracil
2*
166.69 Gracila polleni: 20 em SL (Mauritius).
534
D IX,14; A III,9; P 17-19; LL 65-75; LSS 111-120; GR (7-8)+(14-16).
Mainly yellow with dark-edged blue stripes as shown in
the colour plate. Attains 35 cm. Comores, Madagascar,
Mauritius, Reunion, Rodrigues and Chagos Archipelago;
also eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific to southern
Japan.
Genus Plectropomus Oken, 1817
Body elongate, the depth 2.9-3.B in SL; D VII-VIII,lO-l1;
A III,B (the spines small and inconspicuous); C emarginate
to truncate; paired fins short; middle P rays longest; a pair
of large canines at front of jaws and 1-4 fixed canines on rear
half of lower jaw; preopercle rounded, the lower edge with
3 or 4 large antrorse spines (usually covered by skin); opercular spines poorly developed.
Large, active, piscivorous reef fishes. About 7 species,
distinguished primarily by colour patterns; species distinction is complicated by intraspecies variation in colour patterns and two different colour phases of P. laevis; 4 species
known or likely to occur in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la C truncate; interorbital area and top of snout
with small embedded scales; P 15-16; head and
body covered with round dark-edged blue spots .......... P. areolatus
1 b C slightly emarginate; interorbital and top of
snout naked; P 15-18; dark-edged blue spots present
or absent (if present, smaller than those of areolatus,
not always round, and mayor may not extend
ventrally on head and body) ................................................ 2
2a Adults greyish brown, mottled with dark and light,
without any spots on dark bars; juveniles with
numerous pale dashes on body ............................... P. punctatus
2b Body with numerous, dark-edged, round or elongate
blue spots (spots sparse on the pale black-saddled
colour phase of P. laevis) .................................................... 3
3a Prays 16-18 (rarely 16); 4 broad, dark brown "saddle" blotches
on body (Ion nape and 3 under D); 1 colour phase is white
with yellow fins, the dark saddle blotches very prominent,
the blue spots few; the other colour phase is dark
brownish red with numerous small, dark-edged blue
spots, the dark saddle blotches less evident .................... P. laevis
3b Prays 16-17 (rarely 17); no dark saddle blotches
on body ......................................................... P. pessuliferus
166.70 Plectropomus areolatus
Ruppeil,1828
PLATE 43
Squaretailleopardgrouper Stompstert -Iuiperdkabeljou
Plectropomus (maculalum) areolatum Riippell, 1828: 143 (Red Sea).
Plectropomus truncatus: Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Plect 2*.
D VIII,II; A III,8; P 15-16; LL 88-105; GR poorly developed, raker at
angle of 1st arch about ~ length of gill filaments. Body depth 3.1-3.7 in SL.
Middle C rays not much shorter than upper and lower rays. Nostrils subequal.