posterior border; A base greyish, outer portion yellow; V
yellowish with anterior rays dusky; P dusky suffused with
yellow. Juveniles with broad dark bar across body at level of
P base and black-margined, white spot on LL below
anterior soft D rays. Attains 60 cm and weight of 11 kg.
Found solitarily or in small aggregations over coral or rocky
reefs to at least 30 m. Throughout tropical Indo-West
Pacific, south to Durban.
181.17 Lutjanus russellii
(Bleeker, 1849)
PLATE 56
Russell's snapper
Russell se snapper
Mesoprion russellii Bleeker, 1849: 41 (India). Lutianus russellii: Smith,
SFSA No. 660*. Lutjanus russelli: van der Elst, 1981 : 209* .
D X,14; A III,8; P 16; LL 48-50; GR (5-6)+(10-13). Depth 2.6-2.8;
head 2.5-2.7. Preopercle notch shallow. Scales on top of head begin
behind eyes.
Generally yellow-brown above grading to yellow or
pinkish below; head reddish; black spot below anterior D
rays and mostly above LL; sides frequently with about 8
brownish horizontal bands. Small juveniles with 4-7 narrow
bronze horizontal stripes, except those above LL slanting
obliquely towards D base, this pattern sometimes evident in
adults, particularly from the northern Indian Ocean; fins of
adults and juveniles yellowish. Attains 40 cm. Usually
found on coral reefs to at least 40 m. Juveniles frequent
tidepools and mangrove estuaries. Throughout tropical
Indo-West Pacific, south to Durban.
181.18 Lutjanus sanguineus
(Cuvier, 1828)
PLATE 55
Blood snapper
BIDed-snapper
Diacope sanguinea Cuvier, in Cuv. & Val., 1828: 437 (Red Sea).
Diacope erythrina Riippell, 1838: 92, PI. 23, Fig. 3 (Red Sea). Lutianus
sanguineus: Smith, SFSA No. 663*; Talbot, 1957: 250* . Lutjanus sanguineus: van der Elst, 1981 : 210* .
D Xl,12-14; A III ,8-9; P 16-17; LL 49-51; GR (6-7)+(12- 14). Depth
2.2-2.8; head 2.3-2.8. Preopercle notch shallow ; 7-9 scales from LL to
middle D spines.
181.18 Lutjanus sanguineus: 68 em (Algoa Bay).
181 : LUTJANIDAE (SNAPPERS)
Generally rich orange-red with silvery belly; fins red to
pink. Juveniles yellow-red with distinct brown band on
forehead extending from D to upper jaw and encompassing
eye; black saddle' on peduncle, preceded by a pearlcoloured patch; V dusky to blackish; flanks with numerous
red-brown horizontal lines. Attains 80 cm and weight of 22
kg. Found on coral and rocky reefs, often in deep water to at
least 100 m. Western Indian Ocean south to Algoa Bay.
Adults develop a pronounced hump on the forehead.
181.19 Lutjanus sebae
(Cuvier, 1816)
PLATE 56
Emperor snapper
Keiser-snapper
Diacope sebae Cuvier, 1816: 275 (Walgiv, Pondicherry, Java). Lutianus
sebae: Smith, SFSA No. 665*; Talbot, 1957: 251 *. Lutjanus sebae: van der
Elst, 1981: 211*.
D XI,15-16; A 111,10; P 17; LL 49-50; GR 6+(10-12) . Depth 2.1-2.4;
head 2.3-2.5.
Juveniles and sub adults silvery white with 3 broad, reddish-brown bands as shown. With age the bands become
paler, and the body assumes a deep red coloration; large
adults show no trace of the dark bands. Attains 80 cm and
weight of 27 kg. Usually found on coral or rocky reefs to at
least 100 m. Juveniles frequent shallow inshore reefs and
mangrove estuaries. Throughout tropical Indo-West
Pacific south to Durban.
181 .19 Lu/janus sebae: 45 em (Seychelles).
Genus Mac%r Bleeker, 1860
Two species; M. macularis Fowler, 1931 has 70-80 lowerlimb GR (pers. comm., G.R. Allen).
181.20 Mac%r niger
(ForsskAI, 1775)
Black beauty
Swartnooi
Sciaena nigra Forsskiil, 1775: 47 (Red Sea, off Jidda). Macolor niger:
Smith, 1962: 508*; Smith, 1980: 180.
D X,13 or 14; A III,IO or 11; P 16-18; LL 49-55; GR (31-41)+(60-70).
Depth 2.3-2.9; head 2.6-2.8. Preopercle with deep notch (or gash) receiving elongate interopercular knob (or spine).
577
yellowish with anterior rays dusky; P dusky suffused with
yellow. Juveniles with broad dark bar across body at level of
P base and black-margined, white spot on LL below
anterior soft D rays. Attains 60 cm and weight of 11 kg.
Found solitarily or in small aggregations over coral or rocky
reefs to at least 30 m. Throughout tropical Indo-West
Pacific, south to Durban.
181.17 Lutjanus russellii
(Bleeker, 1849)
PLATE 56
Russell's snapper
Russell se snapper
Mesoprion russellii Bleeker, 1849: 41 (India). Lutianus russellii: Smith,
SFSA No. 660*. Lutjanus russelli: van der Elst, 1981 : 209* .
D X,14; A III,8; P 16; LL 48-50; GR (5-6)+(10-13). Depth 2.6-2.8;
head 2.5-2.7. Preopercle notch shallow. Scales on top of head begin
behind eyes.
Generally yellow-brown above grading to yellow or
pinkish below; head reddish; black spot below anterior D
rays and mostly above LL; sides frequently with about 8
brownish horizontal bands. Small juveniles with 4-7 narrow
bronze horizontal stripes, except those above LL slanting
obliquely towards D base, this pattern sometimes evident in
adults, particularly from the northern Indian Ocean; fins of
adults and juveniles yellowish. Attains 40 cm. Usually
found on coral reefs to at least 40 m. Juveniles frequent
tidepools and mangrove estuaries. Throughout tropical
Indo-West Pacific, south to Durban.
181.18 Lutjanus sanguineus
(Cuvier, 1828)
PLATE 55
Blood snapper
BIDed-snapper
Diacope sanguinea Cuvier, in Cuv. & Val., 1828: 437 (Red Sea).
Diacope erythrina Riippell, 1838: 92, PI. 23, Fig. 3 (Red Sea). Lutianus
sanguineus: Smith, SFSA No. 663*; Talbot, 1957: 250* . Lutjanus sanguineus: van der Elst, 1981 : 210* .
D Xl,12-14; A III ,8-9; P 16-17; LL 49-51; GR (6-7)+(12- 14). Depth
2.2-2.8; head 2.3-2.8. Preopercle notch shallow ; 7-9 scales from LL to
middle D spines.
181.18 Lutjanus sanguineus: 68 em (Algoa Bay).
181 : LUTJANIDAE (SNAPPERS)
Generally rich orange-red with silvery belly; fins red to
pink. Juveniles yellow-red with distinct brown band on
forehead extending from D to upper jaw and encompassing
eye; black saddle' on peduncle, preceded by a pearlcoloured patch; V dusky to blackish; flanks with numerous
red-brown horizontal lines. Attains 80 cm and weight of 22
kg. Found on coral and rocky reefs, often in deep water to at
least 100 m. Western Indian Ocean south to Algoa Bay.
Adults develop a pronounced hump on the forehead.
181.19 Lutjanus sebae
(Cuvier, 1816)
PLATE 56
Emperor snapper
Keiser-snapper
Diacope sebae Cuvier, 1816: 275 (Walgiv, Pondicherry, Java). Lutianus
sebae: Smith, SFSA No. 665*; Talbot, 1957: 251 *. Lutjanus sebae: van der
Elst, 1981: 211*.
D XI,15-16; A 111,10; P 17; LL 49-50; GR 6+(10-12) . Depth 2.1-2.4;
head 2.3-2.5.
Juveniles and sub adults silvery white with 3 broad, reddish-brown bands as shown. With age the bands become
paler, and the body assumes a deep red coloration; large
adults show no trace of the dark bands. Attains 80 cm and
weight of 27 kg. Usually found on coral or rocky reefs to at
least 100 m. Juveniles frequent shallow inshore reefs and
mangrove estuaries. Throughout tropical Indo-West
Pacific south to Durban.
181 .19 Lu/janus sebae: 45 em (Seychelles).
Genus Mac%r Bleeker, 1860
Two species; M. macularis Fowler, 1931 has 70-80 lowerlimb GR (pers. comm., G.R. Allen).
181.20 Mac%r niger
(ForsskAI, 1775)
Black beauty
Swartnooi
Sciaena nigra Forsskiil, 1775: 47 (Red Sea, off Jidda). Macolor niger:
Smith, 1962: 508*; Smith, 1980: 180.
D X,13 or 14; A III,IO or 11; P 16-18; LL 49-55; GR (31-41)+(60-70).
Depth 2.3-2.9; head 2.6-2.8. Preopercle with deep notch (or gash) receiving elongate interopercular knob (or spine).
577