D XIV,15-16; A III,7; P 17; LL 50-55; LS above LL about 60; GR
(9-10)+(19-20); lips, especially upper, greatly swollen with age; D spines
strong and heteracanth, 4th-5th longest, fin deeply notched; base spinous
D 2.0 (juvenile) - 1.8 (adult) times base soft D; 2nd A spine longer and
stouter than 3rd; P slightly longer than V. Scales do not reach nostrils.
Uniform dark, sometimes reddish tinge; iris brown to
yellow; juveniles with C, distal soft D and A yellowish or
pink. Attains 75 cm. Huge lips of adults resemble sponges.
Closely related to P. macrolepis (Boulenger, 1899) from
tropical west African coast. Flesh excellent; reported as
ciguatoxic in other areas. Indo-West Pacific, south to Natal.
179.6 Plectorhinchus plagiodesmus
Fowler, 1935
PLATE 52
Barred rubberlip
Balk-rubberlip
Plectorhynchus plagiodesmus Fowler, 1935: 387, Fig. 20 (Zululand).
Pseudopristipoma plagiodesmus: Smith, SFSA No. 691*. Gaterin
plagiodesmus: Smith, 1962: 491*; 1971: 348*; Day, 1974: 96.
D XIII-XIV,15-16; A III,7; P 17; LL 48 tubular, GR (9-10)+(19-20);
upper lip greatly swollen with age projects beyond lower; D spines strong,
heteracanth, 4th to 5th longest, fin deeply notched; 2nd A spine stouter
and longer than 3rd; spinous D base twice base of soft D. Scales moderate,
do not reach nostrils.
About 12 oblique alternating black bars always present
on body, orange bars between black bars most vivid up to
about 40 cm, thereafter fading to a bronze fish with black
bars and huge orange or yellow lips. Attains 90 cm or more.
Juveniles frequently caught with P. gibbosus. Large adults
lie in coral crevices with protruding lips looking like orange
sponge. Somalia to Madagascar and Natal.
179.7 Plectorhinchus playfairi
(Pellegrin, 1914)
Whitebarred rubberlip
Witbalk-rubberlip
Diagramma griseus vaT. playfairi Pellegrin, 1914: 226 & 1933: 100, Fig.
59 (Madagascar). Gaterin schotaf (non Forsskfll): Smith, SFSA No. 692*;
Sanches, 1963: 91*. Gaterin batata Smith, 1952: 713 (Transkei to
Zanzibar); 1953: No. 692*. Gaterin playfairi: Smith, 1962: 480*; Blaber,
1978: 40. Plectorhynchus (Gaterin) schotaf(non ForsskM): Sanches, 1963:
91* . Plectorhynchus playfairi: van der Elst, 1981: 250*.
179.7 Plectorhinehus playfairi: 35 em (Kenya).
179: HAEMULIDAE (RUBBERLIPS & GRUNTERS)
D XII,19-20; A II1,7; P 16; GR 11 +(21-23); LL about 58-60; LS above
LL 76-80; 4th and 5th D spines longest but shorter than longest rays, fin
notched; spinous D base longer than soft D base; 2nd A spine stout and
longer than 3rd; V little shorter than P; scales extend to front nostril.
Black with vivid white crossbars in life, fades to grey with
the 4 white bars, 1st over nape least marked; lips, skin about
mouth and base of P pink; D spine tips and opercular
membrane red to scarlet. Attains 90 cm. Solitary about
reefs from tidal pools to 80 m. Western Indian Ocean south
to Port St. Johns, Transkei.
Minstrel
179.8 Plectorhinchus schotaf
(Forsskal, 1775)
PLATE 52
Minstreel
Sciaena schotafForsskfll, 1775: 51 (Red Sea). Diagramma durbanense
Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908: 155 (Natal). Gaterin sordidum (non
Klunzinger): Smith, 1952: 715; 1953: 519, No. 692a*. Plectorhynchus
scholaf: van der Elst, 1981: 251*.
D XII,18-21; A III,7; P 16-17; GR (10-12)+(16-17) = 26-28; LL about
55; LS 90 above LL; lips swollen with age; lower jaw shorter; 4th and 5th
D spines longest; soft D base slightly greater than spinous D base; 2nd A
spine stronger and generally longer than 3rd; C truncate (young) to
slightly emarginate in adults; scales extend to nostrils, front preorbital
naked.
Dusky to silvery grey, darker with age; young sometimes
with faint blue lines below eye and along body; head scarlet.
Rarely exceeds 40 cm. Around rocks and coral from surf
zone to 80 m; use tide pools as nursery areas. Indo-West
Pacific south to Port St. Johns.
179.8 Plectorhinehus schotaf: top: 25 em (Inhaea Id.); bottom: 70 em (Kenya).
567
(9-10)+(19-20); lips, especially upper, greatly swollen with age; D spines
strong and heteracanth, 4th-5th longest, fin deeply notched; base spinous
D 2.0 (juvenile) - 1.8 (adult) times base soft D; 2nd A spine longer and
stouter than 3rd; P slightly longer than V. Scales do not reach nostrils.
Uniform dark, sometimes reddish tinge; iris brown to
yellow; juveniles with C, distal soft D and A yellowish or
pink. Attains 75 cm. Huge lips of adults resemble sponges.
Closely related to P. macrolepis (Boulenger, 1899) from
tropical west African coast. Flesh excellent; reported as
ciguatoxic in other areas. Indo-West Pacific, south to Natal.
179.6 Plectorhinchus plagiodesmus
Fowler, 1935
PLATE 52
Barred rubberlip
Balk-rubberlip
Plectorhynchus plagiodesmus Fowler, 1935: 387, Fig. 20 (Zululand).
Pseudopristipoma plagiodesmus: Smith, SFSA No. 691*. Gaterin
plagiodesmus: Smith, 1962: 491*; 1971: 348*; Day, 1974: 96.
D XIII-XIV,15-16; A III,7; P 17; LL 48 tubular, GR (9-10)+(19-20);
upper lip greatly swollen with age projects beyond lower; D spines strong,
heteracanth, 4th to 5th longest, fin deeply notched; 2nd A spine stouter
and longer than 3rd; spinous D base twice base of soft D. Scales moderate,
do not reach nostrils.
About 12 oblique alternating black bars always present
on body, orange bars between black bars most vivid up to
about 40 cm, thereafter fading to a bronze fish with black
bars and huge orange or yellow lips. Attains 90 cm or more.
Juveniles frequently caught with P. gibbosus. Large adults
lie in coral crevices with protruding lips looking like orange
sponge. Somalia to Madagascar and Natal.
179.7 Plectorhinchus playfairi
(Pellegrin, 1914)
Whitebarred rubberlip
Witbalk-rubberlip
Diagramma griseus vaT. playfairi Pellegrin, 1914: 226 & 1933: 100, Fig.
59 (Madagascar). Gaterin schotaf (non Forsskfll): Smith, SFSA No. 692*;
Sanches, 1963: 91*. Gaterin batata Smith, 1952: 713 (Transkei to
Zanzibar); 1953: No. 692*. Gaterin playfairi: Smith, 1962: 480*; Blaber,
1978: 40. Plectorhynchus (Gaterin) schotaf(non ForsskM): Sanches, 1963:
91* . Plectorhynchus playfairi: van der Elst, 1981: 250*.
179.7 Plectorhinehus playfairi: 35 em (Kenya).
179: HAEMULIDAE (RUBBERLIPS & GRUNTERS)
D XII,19-20; A II1,7; P 16; GR 11 +(21-23); LL about 58-60; LS above
LL 76-80; 4th and 5th D spines longest but shorter than longest rays, fin
notched; spinous D base longer than soft D base; 2nd A spine stout and
longer than 3rd; V little shorter than P; scales extend to front nostril.
Black with vivid white crossbars in life, fades to grey with
the 4 white bars, 1st over nape least marked; lips, skin about
mouth and base of P pink; D spine tips and opercular
membrane red to scarlet. Attains 90 cm. Solitary about
reefs from tidal pools to 80 m. Western Indian Ocean south
to Port St. Johns, Transkei.
Minstrel
179.8 Plectorhinchus schotaf
(Forsskal, 1775)
PLATE 52
Minstreel
Sciaena schotafForsskfll, 1775: 51 (Red Sea). Diagramma durbanense
Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908: 155 (Natal). Gaterin sordidum (non
Klunzinger): Smith, 1952: 715; 1953: 519, No. 692a*. Plectorhynchus
scholaf: van der Elst, 1981: 251*.
D XII,18-21; A III,7; P 16-17; GR (10-12)+(16-17) = 26-28; LL about
55; LS 90 above LL; lips swollen with age; lower jaw shorter; 4th and 5th
D spines longest; soft D base slightly greater than spinous D base; 2nd A
spine stronger and generally longer than 3rd; C truncate (young) to
slightly emarginate in adults; scales extend to nostrils, front preorbital
naked.
Dusky to silvery grey, darker with age; young sometimes
with faint blue lines below eye and along body; head scarlet.
Rarely exceeds 40 cm. Around rocks and coral from surf
zone to 80 m; use tide pools as nursery areas. Indo-West
Pacific south to Port St. Johns.
179.8 Plectorhinehus schotaf: top: 25 em (Inhaea Id.); bottom: 70 em (Kenya).
567