175: APOGONIDAE (CARDINAL FISHES)
ridge smooth. Jaws with 2-3 large, antrorse teeth on each side of symphysis followed by a row of small , conical teeth ; palatine with a single row
or a narrow band of small t ~ eth; vomer toothless or with a few minute
teeth.
In alcohol body light brown, fins darker; scale margins
outlined with black; inside of mouth and gill chamber black;
opercle, isthmus and chin dark. Attains 10 cm. Depth range
150 - 800 m (and probably deeper). Tropical and subtropical
Indian Ocean; closest record to our area from 32°11' S,
59°30'E .
Genus Rosenblattia Mead & De Falla, 1965
Monotypic; found only in subantarctic waters.
175.50 Rosenblattia robusta
Mead & De Falla, 1965
Rosenblattia robusta Mead & De Falla, 1965: 263 , Fig. 1 (south of New
Zealand) ; Mayer, 1975: 17*.
D VII+I,8; A 1I,8; P 16-19; LL 47-53 ; GR (5-8)++(14-19) = 20-26;
pyloric caeca 7-9; vertebrae 10+ 15. Depth 2.3-2.9, head 2.1-3.0, peduncle
length 3.2-4.4, least depth of peduncle 5.5-8.3, all in SL; eye 2.0-2.7, interorbital 2.5-3.9 in head. Body and most of head covered with small,
strongly ctenoid scales; LL complete, last 1-4 scales on C; fin spines
strong, with deep longitudinal grooves; 8th D spine (rarely present)
rudimentary , not connected with membrane to 7th spine; opercular spine
strong, with a variable number of spinelets on each side ; preopercle edge
and ridge, subopercle and interopercle serrated ; jaws with 2-5 large antrorse teeth on each side of symphysis, followed by a row of minute teeth
posteriorly ; vomer with a single tooth to a small patch of teeth ; 1 row of
small teeth on anterior '12 of palatines.
Juveniles with dark body and pale peduncle; a dark ring
encircling peduncle at level of rear A base and a large midlateral patch of melanophores between 2nd D and A;
melanophores gradually disperse dorsoventrally to form a
wide band that covers the dark ring; peduncle becomes
darker and the uniform dark colour of the adult is reached
at size of about 5 cm SL. Attains 10 cm. Closest record to
our area from 38°14'S, 0l015'E (southwest of South
Africa). Circulation patterns of the Antarctic Intermediate
water south of South Africa suggest that this species occurs
in our area. Mesopelagic, depth range 700 - 2000 m.
175.50 Rosenblattia robusta: 8.5 em SL holotype (after Mead & De Falla, 1965).
560
Subfamily PSEUDAMINAE
Six spines in 1st D; preopercle ridge and edge smooth to
weakly serrated at angle; supramaxilla absent; body and
head with a network of minute papillae (may disappear in
long-preserved specimens); 10+ 14 vertebrae . Three genera
of small Indo-Pacific fishes.
KEY TO GENERA
1a Body naked; strong spine and a long, rounded
flap present on lower part of preopercle;
C emarginate ......... ....... .... .. .... ..... .... ..... ... ... ..... Gymnapogon
Ib Body scaled ; preopercular spine and flap absent ;
C rounded .. ......... ..... .. ............ ....... .... ....... .... ..... ....... .... ... 2
2a LL incomplete; anterior nostril with a long flap;
GR 14-18; hypobranchial bone with GR .... ................. Pseudamia
2b LL absent; anterior nostril without long flap;
GR 9-12 ; hypobranchial smooth or with 1-3
minute tooth patches ......... .. ..... ..... .. .... .. ...... ....... Pseudamiops
Genus Gymnapogon Regan, 1905
Characters stated in the Key separate this genus from all
other members of the family; apparently related to the
apogonids (Fraser, 1972); about 7 nominal species that
need to be revised; 1 in our area.
175.51 Gymnapogon africanus
Smith,1954
Crystal cardinal
Kristaal-kardinaal
Gymnapogon africanus Smith , 1954: 791 , Fig. 3; PI. 23 , Fig. F
(Bazaruto, Mozambique) ; 1961: 567, No. 472c; 1961: 411 *.
D VI+I ,9; A II,8; P 13-14; GR 2+10. Depth 4.3-4.8, head 2.5-3.0 in
SL; eye 3.3-3.8 in head. P reaching beyond A origin; nostrils large ,
anterior with a short tube ; upper jaw with canine teeth anteriorly followed
by a narrow band of minute teeth posteriorly ; lower jaw with canines in
symphysis and on sides, those on side decreasing in size posteriorly;
posteriormost teeth on lower jaw caniniform, in 1-2 rows, larger than
posteriormost teeth of upper jaw; 1-4 small canines on vomer ; palatines
with a single row of minute teeth ; C emarginate to forked.
In life translucent, with an orange spot at bases of spines
and rays ofD, A, P and C; all fins pale pink. Attains 5 cm.
Kenya to Bazaruto, Mozambique.
175.51 Gymnapogon africanus: 5 em holotype (Kenya).
ridge smooth. Jaws with 2-3 large, antrorse teeth on each side of symphysis followed by a row of small , conical teeth ; palatine with a single row
or a narrow band of small t ~ eth; vomer toothless or with a few minute
teeth.
In alcohol body light brown, fins darker; scale margins
outlined with black; inside of mouth and gill chamber black;
opercle, isthmus and chin dark. Attains 10 cm. Depth range
150 - 800 m (and probably deeper). Tropical and subtropical
Indian Ocean; closest record to our area from 32°11' S,
59°30'E .
Genus Rosenblattia Mead & De Falla, 1965
Monotypic; found only in subantarctic waters.
175.50 Rosenblattia robusta
Mead & De Falla, 1965
Rosenblattia robusta Mead & De Falla, 1965: 263 , Fig. 1 (south of New
Zealand) ; Mayer, 1975: 17*.
D VII+I,8; A 1I,8; P 16-19; LL 47-53 ; GR (5-8)++(14-19) = 20-26;
pyloric caeca 7-9; vertebrae 10+ 15. Depth 2.3-2.9, head 2.1-3.0, peduncle
length 3.2-4.4, least depth of peduncle 5.5-8.3, all in SL; eye 2.0-2.7, interorbital 2.5-3.9 in head. Body and most of head covered with small,
strongly ctenoid scales; LL complete, last 1-4 scales on C; fin spines
strong, with deep longitudinal grooves; 8th D spine (rarely present)
rudimentary , not connected with membrane to 7th spine; opercular spine
strong, with a variable number of spinelets on each side ; preopercle edge
and ridge, subopercle and interopercle serrated ; jaws with 2-5 large antrorse teeth on each side of symphysis, followed by a row of minute teeth
posteriorly ; vomer with a single tooth to a small patch of teeth ; 1 row of
small teeth on anterior '12 of palatines.
Juveniles with dark body and pale peduncle; a dark ring
encircling peduncle at level of rear A base and a large midlateral patch of melanophores between 2nd D and A;
melanophores gradually disperse dorsoventrally to form a
wide band that covers the dark ring; peduncle becomes
darker and the uniform dark colour of the adult is reached
at size of about 5 cm SL. Attains 10 cm. Closest record to
our area from 38°14'S, 0l015'E (southwest of South
Africa). Circulation patterns of the Antarctic Intermediate
water south of South Africa suggest that this species occurs
in our area. Mesopelagic, depth range 700 - 2000 m.
175.50 Rosenblattia robusta: 8.5 em SL holotype (after Mead & De Falla, 1965).
560
Subfamily PSEUDAMINAE
Six spines in 1st D; preopercle ridge and edge smooth to
weakly serrated at angle; supramaxilla absent; body and
head with a network of minute papillae (may disappear in
long-preserved specimens); 10+ 14 vertebrae . Three genera
of small Indo-Pacific fishes.
KEY TO GENERA
1a Body naked; strong spine and a long, rounded
flap present on lower part of preopercle;
C emarginate ......... ....... .... .. .... ..... .... ..... ... ... ..... Gymnapogon
Ib Body scaled ; preopercular spine and flap absent ;
C rounded .. ......... ..... .. ............ ....... .... ....... .... ..... ....... .... ... 2
2a LL incomplete; anterior nostril with a long flap;
GR 14-18; hypobranchial bone with GR .... ................. Pseudamia
2b LL absent; anterior nostril without long flap;
GR 9-12 ; hypobranchial smooth or with 1-3
minute tooth patches ......... .. ..... ..... .. .... .. ...... ....... Pseudamiops
Genus Gymnapogon Regan, 1905
Characters stated in the Key separate this genus from all
other members of the family; apparently related to the
apogonids (Fraser, 1972); about 7 nominal species that
need to be revised; 1 in our area.
175.51 Gymnapogon africanus
Smith,1954
Crystal cardinal
Kristaal-kardinaal
Gymnapogon africanus Smith , 1954: 791 , Fig. 3; PI. 23 , Fig. F
(Bazaruto, Mozambique) ; 1961: 567, No. 472c; 1961: 411 *.
D VI+I ,9; A II,8; P 13-14; GR 2+10. Depth 4.3-4.8, head 2.5-3.0 in
SL; eye 3.3-3.8 in head. P reaching beyond A origin; nostrils large ,
anterior with a short tube ; upper jaw with canine teeth anteriorly followed
by a narrow band of minute teeth posteriorly ; lower jaw with canines in
symphysis and on sides, those on side decreasing in size posteriorly;
posteriormost teeth on lower jaw caniniform, in 1-2 rows, larger than
posteriormost teeth of upper jaw; 1-4 small canines on vomer ; palatines
with a single row of minute teeth ; C emarginate to forked.
In life translucent, with an orange spot at bases of spines
and rays ofD, A, P and C; all fins pale pink. Attains 5 cm.
Kenya to Bazaruto, Mozambique.
175.51 Gymnapogon africanus: 5 em holotype (Kenya).