lineopunctatus Boulenger, 1903: 66, PI. 6 (Natal) . Dentex natalensis Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908: 156 (Natal).
D XII,10; A III ,8; P 16; LL52-56; GR (7-8)+(11-13); depth 2.4, greater
than head length. P longer than head. Profile of head smoothly convex.
Preorbital depth about ~ of eye diameter.
The fairly large liquid eye, the red to pink body and blue
spots are characteristic of the live fish. Attains 60 cm. Red
Sea to Natal south coast, where it frequents reefs, especially
during winter, down to 100 m. Not of any great commercial
significance in South Africa, but caught by line fishermen
and ski-boat anglers. Flesh good.
183.30 Polysteganus macrophthalmus
(Bloch, 1791)
Large-eyed dentex
Grootoog-denteks
Sparus macrophthalmus Bloch , 1791: 93 , PI. 272 (locality unknown) .
Dentex macrophthalmus: Barnard, 1927: 717; Schnakenbeck, 19~1 : 25 ;
Bauchot et aI. , 1981: Dent 3*. Dentex (Polysteganus) macrophathalmus
Poll , 1971 : 25* .
D XI-XII ,lO-l1; A III ,8; P 16-17; LL 49-55 ; GR (9-12)+(17-20). Eye
large , diameter 2.5-3 .5 in head, greater than interorbital width ; preopere1e flange scaly ; scaling on head does not extend beyond vertical at front
margin of eye.
Attains 65 cm. Body and fins reddish; A and lower part of
C edged with white. A rare visitor to Walvis Bay, known
from rocky or sandy bottoms from 30 m to 500 m in the
Mediterranean and west coast of Africa where it is reported
to spawn intermittently from October to April.
183.30 Polysteganus macrophthalmus: 32 em (Walvis Bay).
Scotsman
183.31 Polysteganus praeorbitalis
(Gunther, 1859)
PLATE 61
Skotsman
Dentex praeorbitalis Gunther, 1859: 368 ("Cape Seas") . Polysteganus
praeorbitalis: Smith, 1938: 301* ; SFSA No. 743*; van der Elst, 1981 : 327* .
D XII,lO; A III ,8; P 15-16; LL 59-63; GR 10+(15-16); depth 2.5-2.8. P
subequal to head. Profile of head smooth. Preorbital deep, 1.5-2.0 times
eye diameter.
The small eye, deep preorbital and steep forehead are
characteristic. A beautiful fish , in colour very similar to a
183: SPARIDAE (SEABREAMS)
Lethrinus. Attains 90 cm. Known only from Algoa Bay to
Beira, in deepish water (20 -100 m), rarely caught by shore
anglers. Spawns in winter. Flesh good .
183.32 Polysteganus undulosus
(Regan, 1908)
PLATE 61
Seventy-four
Vier-en-sewentig
Dentex undulosus Regan , 1908: 252, PI. 40 (South Africa) . Polysteganus undulosus: Smith, 1938: 298* , SFSA No. 742*; Smith & Smith,
1966: 61* ; van der Elst, 1981: 328*.
D XII,lO; A III,8-9; P 16; LL 58-62; GR (8-lO)+(14-16); depth 2.4-2.9.
P equals head in young, longer than head in adults. Profile of head evenly
convex, but some large adults develop a prominent hump above the eyes.
Preorbital depth mostly less than eye, sometimes just greater in biggest
fishes .
Attains over 1 m and 15 kg. Spawns during late winter
and early spring over reefs off the Natal coast. Known only
from the Cape to Delagoa Bay, in deep water. At one time
abundant, even taken by shore anglers from deeper water,
this elegant fish has become scarce in recent years. The flesh
is greatly esteemed. Name supposedly derived from lines on
body resembling rows of gun ports along the sides of the old
"seventy-four" man-of-war.
Genus Porcostoma Smith, 1938
Head scaly between eyes. Soft D and A scaly at base. One
species with characteristic black streak along first few LL
scales. Looks much Iikt( a wrasse (Family Labridae).
Dane
183.33 Porcostoma dentata
(Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908)
PLATES 61 & 62
Deen
Chrysophrys dentatus Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908: 173 (Natal). Porcostoma dentata: Smith, 1938: 271*; SFSA No. 717*; van der Elst, 1981:
329*.
D XIII,1O-11 ; A III,8-9; P 17-18; LL 71-73; GR (4-7)+(11-13); depth
2.5. Plump body. Preoperele flange partly scaly. In upper jaw 4, in lower 6
projecting canines. C lobes rounded.
Juveniles of 50 mm are yellow, with 2 black blotches on
body below D. Attains 30 cm. Occurs only in southern
Africa, mainly between Durban and Beira, down to 120 m.
Occasional strays reach Algoa Bay, and small juveniles are
found offshore along the Cape south coast to near Knysna
in about 20 m around rocky outcrops. Spawns during
spring. Plentiful at times on Natal reefs; takes almost any
bait. Flesh good.
Genus Pterogymnus Smith, 1938
Head between eyes and preopercle flange scaly. D spines
591
D XII,10; A III ,8; P 16; LL52-56; GR (7-8)+(11-13); depth 2.4, greater
than head length. P longer than head. Profile of head smoothly convex.
Preorbital depth about ~ of eye diameter.
The fairly large liquid eye, the red to pink body and blue
spots are characteristic of the live fish. Attains 60 cm. Red
Sea to Natal south coast, where it frequents reefs, especially
during winter, down to 100 m. Not of any great commercial
significance in South Africa, but caught by line fishermen
and ski-boat anglers. Flesh good.
183.30 Polysteganus macrophthalmus
(Bloch, 1791)
Large-eyed dentex
Grootoog-denteks
Sparus macrophthalmus Bloch , 1791: 93 , PI. 272 (locality unknown) .
Dentex macrophthalmus: Barnard, 1927: 717; Schnakenbeck, 19~1 : 25 ;
Bauchot et aI. , 1981: Dent 3*. Dentex (Polysteganus) macrophathalmus
Poll , 1971 : 25* .
D XI-XII ,lO-l1; A III ,8; P 16-17; LL 49-55 ; GR (9-12)+(17-20). Eye
large , diameter 2.5-3 .5 in head, greater than interorbital width ; preopere1e flange scaly ; scaling on head does not extend beyond vertical at front
margin of eye.
Attains 65 cm. Body and fins reddish; A and lower part of
C edged with white. A rare visitor to Walvis Bay, known
from rocky or sandy bottoms from 30 m to 500 m in the
Mediterranean and west coast of Africa where it is reported
to spawn intermittently from October to April.
183.30 Polysteganus macrophthalmus: 32 em (Walvis Bay).
Scotsman
183.31 Polysteganus praeorbitalis
(Gunther, 1859)
PLATE 61
Skotsman
Dentex praeorbitalis Gunther, 1859: 368 ("Cape Seas") . Polysteganus
praeorbitalis: Smith, 1938: 301* ; SFSA No. 743*; van der Elst, 1981 : 327* .
D XII,lO; A III ,8; P 15-16; LL 59-63; GR 10+(15-16); depth 2.5-2.8. P
subequal to head. Profile of head smooth. Preorbital deep, 1.5-2.0 times
eye diameter.
The small eye, deep preorbital and steep forehead are
characteristic. A beautiful fish , in colour very similar to a
183: SPARIDAE (SEABREAMS)
Lethrinus. Attains 90 cm. Known only from Algoa Bay to
Beira, in deepish water (20 -100 m), rarely caught by shore
anglers. Spawns in winter. Flesh good .
183.32 Polysteganus undulosus
(Regan, 1908)
PLATE 61
Seventy-four
Vier-en-sewentig
Dentex undulosus Regan , 1908: 252, PI. 40 (South Africa) . Polysteganus undulosus: Smith, 1938: 298* , SFSA No. 742*; Smith & Smith,
1966: 61* ; van der Elst, 1981: 328*.
D XII,lO; A III,8-9; P 16; LL 58-62; GR (8-lO)+(14-16); depth 2.4-2.9.
P equals head in young, longer than head in adults. Profile of head evenly
convex, but some large adults develop a prominent hump above the eyes.
Preorbital depth mostly less than eye, sometimes just greater in biggest
fishes .
Attains over 1 m and 15 kg. Spawns during late winter
and early spring over reefs off the Natal coast. Known only
from the Cape to Delagoa Bay, in deep water. At one time
abundant, even taken by shore anglers from deeper water,
this elegant fish has become scarce in recent years. The flesh
is greatly esteemed. Name supposedly derived from lines on
body resembling rows of gun ports along the sides of the old
"seventy-four" man-of-war.
Genus Porcostoma Smith, 1938
Head scaly between eyes. Soft D and A scaly at base. One
species with characteristic black streak along first few LL
scales. Looks much Iikt( a wrasse (Family Labridae).
Dane
183.33 Porcostoma dentata
(Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908)
PLATES 61 & 62
Deen
Chrysophrys dentatus Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908: 173 (Natal). Porcostoma dentata: Smith, 1938: 271*; SFSA No. 717*; van der Elst, 1981:
329*.
D XIII,1O-11 ; A III,8-9; P 17-18; LL 71-73; GR (4-7)+(11-13); depth
2.5. Plump body. Preoperele flange partly scaly. In upper jaw 4, in lower 6
projecting canines. C lobes rounded.
Juveniles of 50 mm are yellow, with 2 black blotches on
body below D. Attains 30 cm. Occurs only in southern
Africa, mainly between Durban and Beira, down to 120 m.
Occasional strays reach Algoa Bay, and small juveniles are
found offshore along the Cape south coast to near Knysna
in about 20 m around rocky outcrops. Spawns during
spring. Plentiful at times on Natal reefs; takes almost any
bait. Flesh good.
Genus Pterogymnus Smith, 1938
Head between eyes and preopercle flange scaly. D spines
591