179: HAEMULIDAE (RUBBERLIPS & GRUNTERS)
Young dusky olive to greyish; adults bronze with small
white spots, lips pink. Attains 75 cm. Young in intertidal
weedy areas, sometimes among floating weeds; adults
coral-haunting. Transkei to Kenya and India.
179.2 Plectorhinchus chubbi: 48.5 em (Natal).
179.3 Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus
(Ehrenberg, 1830)
PLATE 52
Lemonfish
Lemmetjievis
Diagramma Jlavomaculatum Ehrenberg, in Cuv. & Val., 1830: 304
(Red Sea). Gaterin reticulatus: Smith, SFSA No. 693. Gaterin citronellus
Smith, 1956: 101, PI. lIC (Delagoa Bay); 1961: 568. Gaterin Jlavomaculatus: Smith, 1956: 484*; Winterbottom, 1976: 62. Plectorhynchus
(Gaterin) reticulatus: Sanches, 1963: 93*. Plectorhynchus Jlavomaculatus:
van der Elst, 1981: 249*.
D XIII-XIV,20-22; A III); P 17; LL about 60, LS above LL about 90;
GR (12-14)+(18-20); lips moderate; 4th-5th D spines longest; fin barely
notched; soft Dbase subequal to spinous base.
Golden lines on side of head always present; on body,
179.3 Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus: top: 10.5 em (Inhaea Id.); bottom: 55 em
(Kenya).
566
juveniles have lines, then reticulate pattern and finally golden spots which disappear on adults over 50 cm. Attains at
least 60 cm. Juveniles to 20 cm plentiful in weeds; adults solitary, found in deeper water, usually near coral. Indo-West
Pacific, Red Sea to Transkei.
179.4 Plectorhinchus gaterinus
(Forsskal, 1775)
PLATE 52
Blackspotted rubberlip
Swartspikkel-rubberlip
Sciaena gaterina Forsskfll, 1775: 50 and Sciaena abu mgaterin Forsskal,
1775: 51 (Red Sea). Gaterin gaterinus: Smith, SFSA No. 694*; 1953: PI.
107, No. 694*. Gaterin lineatus (non Linnaeus): Smith, SFSA No. 695*
(figure only).
D XIII,19-20; A III,7; P 16; LL 55-60; LS above LL 70-75; GR
8+(18-19); 3-5th D spines subequal, longest, no notch in adult; soft D
base about 1.3 in spinous D base; 2nd A spine stouter and slightly longer
than 3rd. V longer than P; lips moderate; scales extend to nostrils.
Mouth red inside; small juveniles up to 12 cm with stripes
that break up to spots on silvery body in adults. A shy fish
lurking among coral reefs and often caught in traps. Flesh
not greatly esteemed due to iodoform taste. Red Sea south
to Natal, Mauritius, Madagascar and Comoro Ids.
179.5 Plectorhinchus gibbosus
(Lacepede, 1802)
Harry hotlips
Swart rubberlip
Holocentrus gibbosus Lacepede, 1802: 344, 389 (no locality). Pseudopristipoma nigrus: Smith, SFSA No. 690*. Gaterin nigrus: Smith , 1962:
490'; Blaber, 197 : 40.
179.5 Plectorhinchus gibbosus: top: 27.5 em; bottom: 66 em (both Zanzibar).
Young dusky olive to greyish; adults bronze with small
white spots, lips pink. Attains 75 cm. Young in intertidal
weedy areas, sometimes among floating weeds; adults
coral-haunting. Transkei to Kenya and India.
179.2 Plectorhinchus chubbi: 48.5 em (Natal).
179.3 Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus
(Ehrenberg, 1830)
PLATE 52
Lemonfish
Lemmetjievis
Diagramma Jlavomaculatum Ehrenberg, in Cuv. & Val., 1830: 304
(Red Sea). Gaterin reticulatus: Smith, SFSA No. 693. Gaterin citronellus
Smith, 1956: 101, PI. lIC (Delagoa Bay); 1961: 568. Gaterin Jlavomaculatus: Smith, 1956: 484*; Winterbottom, 1976: 62. Plectorhynchus
(Gaterin) reticulatus: Sanches, 1963: 93*. Plectorhynchus Jlavomaculatus:
van der Elst, 1981: 249*.
D XIII-XIV,20-22; A III); P 17; LL about 60, LS above LL about 90;
GR (12-14)+(18-20); lips moderate; 4th-5th D spines longest; fin barely
notched; soft Dbase subequal to spinous base.
Golden lines on side of head always present; on body,
179.3 Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus: top: 10.5 em (Inhaea Id.); bottom: 55 em
(Kenya).
566
juveniles have lines, then reticulate pattern and finally golden spots which disappear on adults over 50 cm. Attains at
least 60 cm. Juveniles to 20 cm plentiful in weeds; adults solitary, found in deeper water, usually near coral. Indo-West
Pacific, Red Sea to Transkei.
179.4 Plectorhinchus gaterinus
(Forsskal, 1775)
PLATE 52
Blackspotted rubberlip
Swartspikkel-rubberlip
Sciaena gaterina Forsskfll, 1775: 50 and Sciaena abu mgaterin Forsskal,
1775: 51 (Red Sea). Gaterin gaterinus: Smith, SFSA No. 694*; 1953: PI.
107, No. 694*. Gaterin lineatus (non Linnaeus): Smith, SFSA No. 695*
(figure only).
D XIII,19-20; A III,7; P 16; LL 55-60; LS above LL 70-75; GR
8+(18-19); 3-5th D spines subequal, longest, no notch in adult; soft D
base about 1.3 in spinous D base; 2nd A spine stouter and slightly longer
than 3rd. V longer than P; lips moderate; scales extend to nostrils.
Mouth red inside; small juveniles up to 12 cm with stripes
that break up to spots on silvery body in adults. A shy fish
lurking among coral reefs and often caught in traps. Flesh
not greatly esteemed due to iodoform taste. Red Sea south
to Natal, Mauritius, Madagascar and Comoro Ids.
179.5 Plectorhinchus gibbosus
(Lacepede, 1802)
Harry hotlips
Swart rubberlip
Holocentrus gibbosus Lacepede, 1802: 344, 389 (no locality). Pseudopristipoma nigrus: Smith, SFSA No. 690*. Gaterin nigrus: Smith , 1962:
490'; Blaber, 197 : 40.
179.5 Plectorhinchus gibbosus: top: 27.5 em; bottom: 66 em (both Zanzibar).