KEY TO SPECIES
1a Distinct longitudinal ridge on lateral surface of
maxilla; entire vertical edge of preoperele
finely serrate; A II,7-8 ......................................... S. japonicus
1b No ridge on maxilla; only lower part of
preoperele serrate; A II,9 .................................... S. microlepis
176.5 Synagrops japonicus
(Ooderlein, 1884)
Japanese splitfin
Japanse spleetvin
Melanostoma japonicum Doderlein, in Steindachner & Doderlein,
1884: 5, PI. 1, Fig. 2 (Tokyo). Synagrops natalensis Gilchrist, 1921: 69 (off
Natal). Synagrops japonicus: Smith, SFSA No. 473*; Smith, 1961: 413.
D VIII-IX+ 1,9-10; A II,7-8; P 16-17; LL 28-30? Developed GR 3+ 12.
No fin spines serrate. Preoperele ridge smooth; suboperele and interoperele with strong serrae. Band of villi form teeth on upper jaw, separated by
a gap at symphysis, with a canine on each side of this gap; lower jaw with
narrow band of small teeth anteriorly, 3-5 canines laterally, and a pair of
retrorse canines at symphysis. Swimbladder bifurcate anteriorly, connected to skull.
Head, body and fins brownish black; P pale. Attains 30
cm. Widely distributed from South Africa to Hawaii;
caught off Natal in 180 - 400 m.
176.5 Synagropsjaponicus: 16.5 SL (off Natal) and head.
176.6 Synagrops micro/epis
Norman, 1935
Synagrops microlepis Norman, 1935: 12, Fig. 3 (off Luanda, Angola;
64-65 m); Lloris, 1982: 9, 14.
D IXlI,9; A II,9; P 17-19; LL 40? Developed GR 5+(16-17). No fin
spines serrate. Preoperc1e ridge with 4-6 serrae at the angle; dorsal ?s of
vertical edge of preoperc1e smooth; ventral edge of suboperc1e and interoperele smooth or with weak serrae. Teeth as in S. japonicus, except
176.6 Synagrops micro/epis: 5 em holotype (after Norman, 1935).
177: SCOMBROPIDAE (GNOMEFISHES)
there are only 2-4 large canines at sides of lower jaw. Swimbladder not
connected to skull and not bifurcate anteriorly.
Head and body dark brownish dorsally, paler below.
Attains 10 cm. Known only from Luanda to Walvis Bay.
Family No. 177: SCOMBROPIDAE
by P.C. Heemstra
Gnomefishes
Kaboutervisse
Body oblong, somewhat compressed, covered with deciduous, cycloid scales. Two separate dorsal fins; soft dorsal
and anal fins with 11-14 soft-rays; first dorsal fin with 8 or 9
spines; anal fin spines 3; median fins scaly. Jaws with large,
somewhat compressed canines; 1 or 2 rows of compressed
canines on palatines and a patch of smaller teeth on vomer.
Maxilla scaly, with large supramaxilla; upper jaw not protrusile. Gill membranes separate, free from isthmus; branchiostegal rays 7. Vertebrae 10+ 16.
Moderate sized predators of the outer continental shelf
region; good eating. One genus, Scombrops Temminck &
Schlegel, 1845 with about 4 species, 1 in our area.
Gnomefish
177.1 Scombrops boops
(Houttuyn, 1782)
PLATE 52
Kaboutervis
Sparus boops Houuuyn, 1782: 311 (Nagasaki, Japan). Scombrops
dubius Gilchrist, 1922: 66, PI. 11, Fig. 1 (off Natal; 160& 207fms); Smith,
SFSA No. 496*.
D VIII-IX + 1,13-14; A III,12-13 (1st spine minute); P 15; LL 51-55; GR
(2-3)+(12-15). Eye diameter greater than snout length or interorbital
width. Lower jaw with 2 or 3 small canines at front, followed by a row of 8
or 9 large, knife-like, spaced teeth; upper jaw with 12-13 large canines and
2 or 3 fang-like teeth just in front of vomer tooth patch; 2 elongate patches
of cardiform teeth on tongue.
Juveniles dusky silver; large adults black. Attains 60 cm.
Feeds on squid and fishes. Well known in trawl catches from
the Cape to Delagoa Bay in 20 - 400 m.
177.1 Scombrops boops: 25 em (off Algoa Bay).
563
1a Distinct longitudinal ridge on lateral surface of
maxilla; entire vertical edge of preoperele
finely serrate; A II,7-8 ......................................... S. japonicus
1b No ridge on maxilla; only lower part of
preoperele serrate; A II,9 .................................... S. microlepis
176.5 Synagrops japonicus
(Ooderlein, 1884)
Japanese splitfin
Japanse spleetvin
Melanostoma japonicum Doderlein, in Steindachner & Doderlein,
1884: 5, PI. 1, Fig. 2 (Tokyo). Synagrops natalensis Gilchrist, 1921: 69 (off
Natal). Synagrops japonicus: Smith, SFSA No. 473*; Smith, 1961: 413.
D VIII-IX+ 1,9-10; A II,7-8; P 16-17; LL 28-30? Developed GR 3+ 12.
No fin spines serrate. Preoperele ridge smooth; suboperele and interoperele with strong serrae. Band of villi form teeth on upper jaw, separated by
a gap at symphysis, with a canine on each side of this gap; lower jaw with
narrow band of small teeth anteriorly, 3-5 canines laterally, and a pair of
retrorse canines at symphysis. Swimbladder bifurcate anteriorly, connected to skull.
Head, body and fins brownish black; P pale. Attains 30
cm. Widely distributed from South Africa to Hawaii;
caught off Natal in 180 - 400 m.
176.5 Synagropsjaponicus: 16.5 SL (off Natal) and head.
176.6 Synagrops micro/epis
Norman, 1935
Synagrops microlepis Norman, 1935: 12, Fig. 3 (off Luanda, Angola;
64-65 m); Lloris, 1982: 9, 14.
D IXlI,9; A II,9; P 17-19; LL 40? Developed GR 5+(16-17). No fin
spines serrate. Preoperc1e ridge with 4-6 serrae at the angle; dorsal ?s of
vertical edge of preoperc1e smooth; ventral edge of suboperc1e and interoperele smooth or with weak serrae. Teeth as in S. japonicus, except
176.6 Synagrops micro/epis: 5 em holotype (after Norman, 1935).
177: SCOMBROPIDAE (GNOMEFISHES)
there are only 2-4 large canines at sides of lower jaw. Swimbladder not
connected to skull and not bifurcate anteriorly.
Head and body dark brownish dorsally, paler below.
Attains 10 cm. Known only from Luanda to Walvis Bay.
Family No. 177: SCOMBROPIDAE
by P.C. Heemstra
Gnomefishes
Kaboutervisse
Body oblong, somewhat compressed, covered with deciduous, cycloid scales. Two separate dorsal fins; soft dorsal
and anal fins with 11-14 soft-rays; first dorsal fin with 8 or 9
spines; anal fin spines 3; median fins scaly. Jaws with large,
somewhat compressed canines; 1 or 2 rows of compressed
canines on palatines and a patch of smaller teeth on vomer.
Maxilla scaly, with large supramaxilla; upper jaw not protrusile. Gill membranes separate, free from isthmus; branchiostegal rays 7. Vertebrae 10+ 16.
Moderate sized predators of the outer continental shelf
region; good eating. One genus, Scombrops Temminck &
Schlegel, 1845 with about 4 species, 1 in our area.
Gnomefish
177.1 Scombrops boops
(Houttuyn, 1782)
PLATE 52
Kaboutervis
Sparus boops Houuuyn, 1782: 311 (Nagasaki, Japan). Scombrops
dubius Gilchrist, 1922: 66, PI. 11, Fig. 1 (off Natal; 160& 207fms); Smith,
SFSA No. 496*.
D VIII-IX + 1,13-14; A III,12-13 (1st spine minute); P 15; LL 51-55; GR
(2-3)+(12-15). Eye diameter greater than snout length or interorbital
width. Lower jaw with 2 or 3 small canines at front, followed by a row of 8
or 9 large, knife-like, spaced teeth; upper jaw with 12-13 large canines and
2 or 3 fang-like teeth just in front of vomer tooth patch; 2 elongate patches
of cardiform teeth on tongue.
Juveniles dusky silver; large adults black. Attains 60 cm.
Feeds on squid and fishes. Well known in trawl catches from
the Cape to Delagoa Bay in 20 - 400 m.
177.1 Scombrops boops: 25 em (off Algoa Bay).
563