D X,IO-11; A I1I,8; P 15-16; LL69-75. Lower Prays longer than middle
rays. Depth 3.3-4.0; head 3.0-3.3.
Head and body brick red or pink dorsally; inside of
mouth, gill chamber and gills shining silver. Attains 110 cm.
Tropical Indo-Pacific; extends south to Durban.
181.2 Aphareus rutilans: 125 em (Kenya).
Genus Aprion Valenciennes, 1830
Interorbital naked, flat; jaws with distinct canines. One
species.
Green jobfish
181.3 Aprion virescens
Valenciennes, 1830
PLATE 53
Groen jobvis
Aprion virescens Valenciennes, in Cuv. & VaL, 1830: 544, PI. 168
(Seychelles); Smith, SFSA No. 652*; van der Elst, 1981: 202*.
D X,l1; A I1I,8; P 16-18; LL 48-49; GR (7-8)+(14-16). Depth
3.7-4.2; head 3.0-3.3.
Dark green, bluish, or grey-blue. Attains 100 cm. Tropical Indo-Pacific; occasionally caught off Natal and once
found at Knysna.
181.3 Aprion virescens: 75 em (Kenya).
Genus Etelis Cuvier, 1828
Four species; 1 in our area. Etelis carbunculus Cuvier,
1828 (with 17-22 total GR and upper Clobe 3.3-3.8 in SL) is
widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific and is known from the
Seychelles and Mauritius. Etelis oculatus (Valenciennes,
1828) of the western Atlantic tends to have shorter pelvic
fins and C lobes than does E. coruscans.
181: LUTJANIDAE (SNAPPERS)
181.4 Etelis coruscans
Valenciennes, 1862
PLATE 53
Ruby snapper
Robyn-snapper
Etelis coruscans Valenciennes, 1862: 1166 (lie Bourbon = Reunion);
Anderson, 1981: 824. Etelis carbunculus (non Cuvier, 1828): Smith, SFSA
No. 651*.
D X,l1; A 1II,8; P 15-16; LL47-50; GR (8-10)+(15-18). Depth 3.4-3.8;
head 2.8-3.3; upper C lobe 1.3-3.6.
Generally reddish; darker dorsally, silvery ventrally.
Attains 120 cm. Tropical/subtropical Indo-Pacific; extends
south to the Bashee River (32°S). Taken in 100 - 400 m; a
fine sport and eating fish.
181.4 Etelis coruscans: 90 em (Kenya).
Genus Lutjanus Bloch, 1790
by G.R. Allen
Medium-sized fishes; body compressed, moderately
deep to slender; jaws with several enlarged canine teeth.
Colour pattern largely consisting of yellow, pink or red. The
flesh is good eating. G.R. Allen and F.H. Talbot are currently preparing a taxonomic revision of this genus. Gillraker counts include the rudimentary rakers. About 65
species (Indo-West Pacific 39; eastern Pacific 9; western
Atlantic 12; eastern Atlantic 5); 15 species in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Colour brilliant yellow with blue stripes on body ..................... 2
Ib Colour not as in la ........................................................... 3
2a Body with 4 blue stripes; D spines 10 ........................ L. kasmira
2b Body with 6-7 blue stripes; D spines 11
or 12 .................................................................. L. notatus
3a D spines 11 or 12 ................ ............................................. 4
3b D spines 10 (rarely 11) ...................................... .. .. : ........... 6
4a Drays 15 or 16; A rays usually 10; colour pattern
with 3 reddish-brown bars, faint or absent in
large adults ............................................................ L. sebae
4b Drays 12-14; A rays 8 or 9; colour not as in 4a ........................ 5
5a Body slender, the depth 2.9-3.3 in SL; colour
silvery or bronzy with horizontal yellow or
brownish lines on sides, the middle one
forming a broad stripe ........................................... L. lutjanus
573
rays. Depth 3.3-4.0; head 3.0-3.3.
Head and body brick red or pink dorsally; inside of
mouth, gill chamber and gills shining silver. Attains 110 cm.
Tropical Indo-Pacific; extends south to Durban.
181.2 Aphareus rutilans: 125 em (Kenya).
Genus Aprion Valenciennes, 1830
Interorbital naked, flat; jaws with distinct canines. One
species.
Green jobfish
181.3 Aprion virescens
Valenciennes, 1830
PLATE 53
Groen jobvis
Aprion virescens Valenciennes, in Cuv. & VaL, 1830: 544, PI. 168
(Seychelles); Smith, SFSA No. 652*; van der Elst, 1981: 202*.
D X,l1; A I1I,8; P 16-18; LL 48-49; GR (7-8)+(14-16). Depth
3.7-4.2; head 3.0-3.3.
Dark green, bluish, or grey-blue. Attains 100 cm. Tropical Indo-Pacific; occasionally caught off Natal and once
found at Knysna.
181.3 Aprion virescens: 75 em (Kenya).
Genus Etelis Cuvier, 1828
Four species; 1 in our area. Etelis carbunculus Cuvier,
1828 (with 17-22 total GR and upper Clobe 3.3-3.8 in SL) is
widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific and is known from the
Seychelles and Mauritius. Etelis oculatus (Valenciennes,
1828) of the western Atlantic tends to have shorter pelvic
fins and C lobes than does E. coruscans.
181: LUTJANIDAE (SNAPPERS)
181.4 Etelis coruscans
Valenciennes, 1862
PLATE 53
Ruby snapper
Robyn-snapper
Etelis coruscans Valenciennes, 1862: 1166 (lie Bourbon = Reunion);
Anderson, 1981: 824. Etelis carbunculus (non Cuvier, 1828): Smith, SFSA
No. 651*.
D X,l1; A 1II,8; P 15-16; LL47-50; GR (8-10)+(15-18). Depth 3.4-3.8;
head 2.8-3.3; upper C lobe 1.3-3.6.
Generally reddish; darker dorsally, silvery ventrally.
Attains 120 cm. Tropical/subtropical Indo-Pacific; extends
south to the Bashee River (32°S). Taken in 100 - 400 m; a
fine sport and eating fish.
181.4 Etelis coruscans: 90 em (Kenya).
Genus Lutjanus Bloch, 1790
by G.R. Allen
Medium-sized fishes; body compressed, moderately
deep to slender; jaws with several enlarged canine teeth.
Colour pattern largely consisting of yellow, pink or red. The
flesh is good eating. G.R. Allen and F.H. Talbot are currently preparing a taxonomic revision of this genus. Gillraker counts include the rudimentary rakers. About 65
species (Indo-West Pacific 39; eastern Pacific 9; western
Atlantic 12; eastern Atlantic 5); 15 species in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Colour brilliant yellow with blue stripes on body ..................... 2
Ib Colour not as in la ........................................................... 3
2a Body with 4 blue stripes; D spines 10 ........................ L. kasmira
2b Body with 6-7 blue stripes; D spines 11
or 12 .................................................................. L. notatus
3a D spines 11 or 12 ................ ............................................. 4
3b D spines 10 (rarely 11) ...................................... .. .. : ........... 6
4a Drays 15 or 16; A rays usually 10; colour pattern
with 3 reddish-brown bars, faint or absent in
large adults ............................................................ L. sebae
4b Drays 12-14; A rays 8 or 9; colour not as in 4a ........................ 5
5a Body slender, the depth 2.9-3.3 in SL; colour
silvery or bronzy with horizontal yellow or
brownish lines on sides, the middle one
forming a broad stripe ........................................... L. lutjanus
573