Body, head and median fins orange-brown, with numerous black-edged blue spots; spots close-set and extending
onto ventral part of belly. Attains at least 53 cm. Red Sea
and Indian Ocean (Maldives and Cocos-Keeling Ids.) to
Samoa. May occur in our area.
166.70 Plectropomus areolatus: ea. 60 em (after Heemstra & Randall, 1984).
166.71 Plectropomus laevis
(Lacepede, 1801)
Black-saddled
leopardgrouper
PLATE 45
Swartsaalluiperdkabeljou
Labrus laevis Lacepede, 1801: 431 & 477, PI. 23, Fig. 2 (Mauritius).
Bodianus melanoleueus Lacepede, 1802: 283 & 296 (Mauritius). Pleetropomus maeulatus (non Bloch): Smith, SFSA No. 417* (in part, not fig.
on PI. 93, not middle fig. of 3 fish on PI. 106). Pleetropomus laevis:
Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Plect 3*.
D VIII,l1; A III,8; P 16-18; LL 96-115. Body depth 2.9-3.7 in SL. Middle C rays distinctly shorter than upper and lower rays; posterior nostrils
larger than anterior ones.
Attains at least 100 cm, 20 kg. Zanzibar, Kenya and islands of the western Indian Ocean; also from southern
Japan to Australia.
166.72 Plectropomus pessuliferus
Fowler, 1904
PLATE 43
Leopardgrouper
Luiperdkabeljou
Pleetropoma pessuliferum Fowler, 1904: 520, PI. 17 upper fig.
(Sumatra). Pleetropomus maeulatus (non Bloch): Smith, SFSA No. 417*
(in part, not figs. on PI. 106); Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Plect 4*.
D VIII,l1; A III,8; P 15-17; LL88-101. Body depth 3.1-3.7 in SL. Middle C rays distinctly shorter than upper and lower rays. Nostrils subequal.
Brownish orange-red with dark-edged blue spots, those
on head and front part of body larger and more elongate
166.72 Plectropomuspessuliferus: 42 em holotype (after Fowler, 1904).
166: SERRANIDAE (ROCKCODS & SEABASSES)
than the small round spots on rear part of body and median
fins. Attains at least 53 cm. Indian Ocean and western
Pacific; probably occurs in our area.
166.73 Plectropomus punctatus
Quoy & Gaimard, 1824
PLATES 34 & 45
Marbled leopardgrouper
Marmer-Iuiperdkabeljou
Pleetropomus punetatum Quoy & Gaimard, 1824: 318, PI. 45, Fig. 1
(Mauritius). Pleetropomus maculatus (non Bloch): Smith, SFSA No. 417*
(in part, only middle fig. of 3 fish on PI. 106). Pleetropomus marmoratus
Talbot, 1958: 751, PI. 21 (Zanzibar); Morgans, 1982: 4. Pleetropomus
punetatus: Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Plect 5*.
D VIII,lO-11; A III,8; P 16-18; LL 88-92; interorbital space and top of
snout naked. Body depth 3.1-3.7 in SL. Middle C rays distinctly shorter
than upper and lower rays. Nostrils subequal.
Juveniles with horizontally elongate pale blue spots all
over body; adults (?) generally purplish brown, the body
and D with irregular pale mottling. Attains 90 cm, 10 kg.
Western Indian Ocean: Zanzibar to Kenya and various islands. A common coral-reef species in depths of 5 - 15 m.
166.73 Plectropomus punctatus: top: 90 em SL; bottom: juvenile (after Heemstra
& Randall, 1984).
Genus Variola Swainson, 1839
Body depth 2.8-3.2 in SL. C lunate, the upper and lower
rays markedly elongate; D IX,13-15; A III,8; rear end of D
and A pointed; A spines distinct; preopercle rounded,
finely serrate, without spines on ventral edge; body scales
mostly ctenoid, no auxiliary scales; side of lower jaw with 1
or 2 fixed canines.
Active, piscivorous, coral-reef fishes; 2 beautiful species;
1 known from our area and the other probably occurs here
as well.
KEY TO SPECIES
I a Rear margin of C narrowly white with a dusky
submarginal band; fins without distinct, yellow,
posterior margins .......................................... V. albimarginata
1 b Rear margin of P and median fins broadly yellow ............. V. louti
535
onto ventral part of belly. Attains at least 53 cm. Red Sea
and Indian Ocean (Maldives and Cocos-Keeling Ids.) to
Samoa. May occur in our area.
166.70 Plectropomus areolatus: ea. 60 em (after Heemstra & Randall, 1984).
166.71 Plectropomus laevis
(Lacepede, 1801)
Black-saddled
leopardgrouper
PLATE 45
Swartsaalluiperdkabeljou
Labrus laevis Lacepede, 1801: 431 & 477, PI. 23, Fig. 2 (Mauritius).
Bodianus melanoleueus Lacepede, 1802: 283 & 296 (Mauritius). Pleetropomus maeulatus (non Bloch): Smith, SFSA No. 417* (in part, not fig.
on PI. 93, not middle fig. of 3 fish on PI. 106). Pleetropomus laevis:
Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Plect 3*.
D VIII,l1; A III,8; P 16-18; LL 96-115. Body depth 2.9-3.7 in SL. Middle C rays distinctly shorter than upper and lower rays; posterior nostrils
larger than anterior ones.
Attains at least 100 cm, 20 kg. Zanzibar, Kenya and islands of the western Indian Ocean; also from southern
Japan to Australia.
166.72 Plectropomus pessuliferus
Fowler, 1904
PLATE 43
Leopardgrouper
Luiperdkabeljou
Pleetropoma pessuliferum Fowler, 1904: 520, PI. 17 upper fig.
(Sumatra). Pleetropomus maeulatus (non Bloch): Smith, SFSA No. 417*
(in part, not figs. on PI. 106); Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Plect 4*.
D VIII,l1; A III,8; P 15-17; LL88-101. Body depth 3.1-3.7 in SL. Middle C rays distinctly shorter than upper and lower rays. Nostrils subequal.
Brownish orange-red with dark-edged blue spots, those
on head and front part of body larger and more elongate
166.72 Plectropomuspessuliferus: 42 em holotype (after Fowler, 1904).
166: SERRANIDAE (ROCKCODS & SEABASSES)
than the small round spots on rear part of body and median
fins. Attains at least 53 cm. Indian Ocean and western
Pacific; probably occurs in our area.
166.73 Plectropomus punctatus
Quoy & Gaimard, 1824
PLATES 34 & 45
Marbled leopardgrouper
Marmer-Iuiperdkabeljou
Pleetropomus punetatum Quoy & Gaimard, 1824: 318, PI. 45, Fig. 1
(Mauritius). Pleetropomus maculatus (non Bloch): Smith, SFSA No. 417*
(in part, only middle fig. of 3 fish on PI. 106). Pleetropomus marmoratus
Talbot, 1958: 751, PI. 21 (Zanzibar); Morgans, 1982: 4. Pleetropomus
punetatus: Heemstra & Randall, 1984: Plect 5*.
D VIII,lO-11; A III,8; P 16-18; LL 88-92; interorbital space and top of
snout naked. Body depth 3.1-3.7 in SL. Middle C rays distinctly shorter
than upper and lower rays. Nostrils subequal.
Juveniles with horizontally elongate pale blue spots all
over body; adults (?) generally purplish brown, the body
and D with irregular pale mottling. Attains 90 cm, 10 kg.
Western Indian Ocean: Zanzibar to Kenya and various islands. A common coral-reef species in depths of 5 - 15 m.
166.73 Plectropomus punctatus: top: 90 em SL; bottom: juvenile (after Heemstra
& Randall, 1984).
Genus Variola Swainson, 1839
Body depth 2.8-3.2 in SL. C lunate, the upper and lower
rays markedly elongate; D IX,13-15; A III,8; rear end of D
and A pointed; A spines distinct; preopercle rounded,
finely serrate, without spines on ventral edge; body scales
mostly ctenoid, no auxiliary scales; side of lower jaw with 1
or 2 fixed canines.
Active, piscivorous, coral-reef fishes; 2 beautiful species;
1 known from our area and the other probably occurs here
as well.
KEY TO SPECIES
I a Rear margin of C narrowly white with a dusky
submarginal band; fins without distinct, yellow,
posterior margins .......................................... V. albimarginata
1 b Rear margin of P and median fins broadly yellow ............. V. louti
535