Picarel
184.1 Spicara australis
(Regan, 1921)
PLATE 63
Pikarel
Smaris australis Regan, 1921: 416 (Natal). Centracanthus australis:
Smith, SFSA No. 705*.
D XII,9-lO; A III,7-8; P 15; LL54-60; GR lO+(18-20). Body depth 3.03.3 in SL. Swimbladder not bifurcate posteriorly.
Attains 30 cm. Known only from off Natal in 200 - 400 m.
Rare.
Windtoy
184.2 Spicara axil/aris
(Boulenger, 1900)
PLATE 63
Windhaan
Caesio axillaris Boulenger, 1900: lO, PI. 1 (False Bay). Caesio algoae
Smith, 1935: 195 (Algoa Bay, 60 fms). Pterosmaris axillaris: Smith, SFSA
No. 704*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 130'.
D XI,12-13; A III,l1-12; P 16-18; LL 70-74; GR (8-9)+(17-20). Body
depth 2.3-2.8 in SL. Swimbladder bifurcate posteriorly, the 2 branches extending to the 4th caudal vertebra.
Body rosy, olive or bluish dorsally, silvery below; black
blotch in axil of P. Attains 38 cm. Known only from Cape
Town to Natal in 20 - 160 m. Rare, sometimes caught on
lines but generally in trawls, usually coming inshore with
stormy weather.
Family No. 185: LETHRINIDAE
by M.M. Smith
Emperors
Keisers
Typical perch-like fishes; body with distinct weakly
ctenoid scales. Interorbital, snout, preorbital, preopercle
flange and bases of dorsal and anal fins naked; opercle
scaly; pelvic fin axillary scale well developed; preopercle
margin entire; dorsal fin spines 10; few knob-like gill-rakers
and 6 branchiostegal rays; vertebrae 10+ 14.
Tropical carnivorous fishes, commercially important as
they are widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific (only 1
species of Lethrinus occurs in the tropical Atlantic) and the
largest reaches about 1 m in length. All the genera have
been reported to be ciguatoxic in some areas, but as this
poisoning does not occur in southern African waters, these
fishes are greatly esteemed as food-fishes, except that some
species occasionally have a "chemical" flavour.
Previously the Lethrinidae was restricted to those fishes
with naked cheeks, but in recent works the Monotaxidae is
also included in this family. About 30 species in 5 genera
(Springer, 1982); 14 species known from our area; 5 additional species of Lethrinus and Wattsia mossambicus are
also included as they may be found in our area.
185: LETHRINIDAE (EMPERORS)
KEY TO GENERA
la Cheek naked, smooth .. (Subfamily LETHRININAE) .... ... Lethrinus
Ib Cheek with scales ........ (Subfamily MONOTAXINAE) ............. 2
2a Outer surface of maxilla with longitudinal denticulated
ridge .............................................................................. 3
2b Outer surface of maxilla smooth .......................... Gymnocranius
3a Teeth at side of jaws all rounded molars; lower
canines normal ..................................................... Monotaxis
3b Teeth at side of jaws all conical; lower canines flare
outwards ......................................................................... 4
4a Body ovoid, depth 1.8-2.3 in SL; LL 42-45; A III,lO ......... Wattsia
4b Body slender, oblong, depth 2.9-3.3 in SL;
LL 70-78; A III,8-9 ............................................ Gnathodentex
Genus Gnathodentex Bleeker, 1873
Monotypic.
185.1 Gnathodentex aureolineatus
(Lacepede, 1802)
PLATES 63 & 66
Glowfish
Glimvis
Sparus aureo-lineatus Lacepede, 1802: 42, 132 (no locality, on Commerson). Gnathodentex aurolineatus: Smith, SFSA No. 648*; Chan &
Chilvers, 1974: 85*.
D X,lO; A III,8-9; P 15; GR5+6; LL 70-78; 4 close-set canines in upper
jaw, an outwardly flaring canine each side of front of lower jaw, with
smaller pointed teeth between, and within and on sides in each jaw.
About 8 golden lines along body, a silver bar below eye,
the golden area on body below end of D glows even in a
dark cave and these "lights" can be seen flitting among the
corals. Attains over 30 cm. Indo-West Pacific, south to
Natal, around coral reefs, down to 20 m; apparently a solitary carnivore. Flesh good, but species too small for commercial exploitation.
Genus Gymnocranius Klunzinger, 1870
Cheek with more than 3 rows of scales. At least 3 species,
2 from our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la No wavy blue lines on head; no V-shaped naked
area on nape ......................................................... G. griseus
Ib Wavy blue lines usually present along snout
and cheek; V-shaped naked area on nape ................ G. robinsoni
185.2 Gymnocranius griseus
(Schlegel, 1844)
PLATE 66
Grey barenose
Grys kaalneus
Dentex griseus Schlegel, in Temminck & Schlegel, 1844: 72, PI. 36
(Japan). Gymnocranius griseus: Smith, SFSA No. 649*; van der Elst,
1981: 234'.
595
184.1 Spicara australis
(Regan, 1921)
PLATE 63
Pikarel
Smaris australis Regan, 1921: 416 (Natal). Centracanthus australis:
Smith, SFSA No. 705*.
D XII,9-lO; A III,7-8; P 15; LL54-60; GR lO+(18-20). Body depth 3.03.3 in SL. Swimbladder not bifurcate posteriorly.
Attains 30 cm. Known only from off Natal in 200 - 400 m.
Rare.
Windtoy
184.2 Spicara axil/aris
(Boulenger, 1900)
PLATE 63
Windhaan
Caesio axillaris Boulenger, 1900: lO, PI. 1 (False Bay). Caesio algoae
Smith, 1935: 195 (Algoa Bay, 60 fms). Pterosmaris axillaris: Smith, SFSA
No. 704*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 130'.
D XI,12-13; A III,l1-12; P 16-18; LL 70-74; GR (8-9)+(17-20). Body
depth 2.3-2.8 in SL. Swimbladder bifurcate posteriorly, the 2 branches extending to the 4th caudal vertebra.
Body rosy, olive or bluish dorsally, silvery below; black
blotch in axil of P. Attains 38 cm. Known only from Cape
Town to Natal in 20 - 160 m. Rare, sometimes caught on
lines but generally in trawls, usually coming inshore with
stormy weather.
Family No. 185: LETHRINIDAE
by M.M. Smith
Emperors
Keisers
Typical perch-like fishes; body with distinct weakly
ctenoid scales. Interorbital, snout, preorbital, preopercle
flange and bases of dorsal and anal fins naked; opercle
scaly; pelvic fin axillary scale well developed; preopercle
margin entire; dorsal fin spines 10; few knob-like gill-rakers
and 6 branchiostegal rays; vertebrae 10+ 14.
Tropical carnivorous fishes, commercially important as
they are widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific (only 1
species of Lethrinus occurs in the tropical Atlantic) and the
largest reaches about 1 m in length. All the genera have
been reported to be ciguatoxic in some areas, but as this
poisoning does not occur in southern African waters, these
fishes are greatly esteemed as food-fishes, except that some
species occasionally have a "chemical" flavour.
Previously the Lethrinidae was restricted to those fishes
with naked cheeks, but in recent works the Monotaxidae is
also included in this family. About 30 species in 5 genera
(Springer, 1982); 14 species known from our area; 5 additional species of Lethrinus and Wattsia mossambicus are
also included as they may be found in our area.
185: LETHRINIDAE (EMPERORS)
KEY TO GENERA
la Cheek naked, smooth .. (Subfamily LETHRININAE) .... ... Lethrinus
Ib Cheek with scales ........ (Subfamily MONOTAXINAE) ............. 2
2a Outer surface of maxilla with longitudinal denticulated
ridge .............................................................................. 3
2b Outer surface of maxilla smooth .......................... Gymnocranius
3a Teeth at side of jaws all rounded molars; lower
canines normal ..................................................... Monotaxis
3b Teeth at side of jaws all conical; lower canines flare
outwards ......................................................................... 4
4a Body ovoid, depth 1.8-2.3 in SL; LL 42-45; A III,lO ......... Wattsia
4b Body slender, oblong, depth 2.9-3.3 in SL;
LL 70-78; A III,8-9 ............................................ Gnathodentex
Genus Gnathodentex Bleeker, 1873
Monotypic.
185.1 Gnathodentex aureolineatus
(Lacepede, 1802)
PLATES 63 & 66
Glowfish
Glimvis
Sparus aureo-lineatus Lacepede, 1802: 42, 132 (no locality, on Commerson). Gnathodentex aurolineatus: Smith, SFSA No. 648*; Chan &
Chilvers, 1974: 85*.
D X,lO; A III,8-9; P 15; GR5+6; LL 70-78; 4 close-set canines in upper
jaw, an outwardly flaring canine each side of front of lower jaw, with
smaller pointed teeth between, and within and on sides in each jaw.
About 8 golden lines along body, a silver bar below eye,
the golden area on body below end of D glows even in a
dark cave and these "lights" can be seen flitting among the
corals. Attains over 30 cm. Indo-West Pacific, south to
Natal, around coral reefs, down to 20 m; apparently a solitary carnivore. Flesh good, but species too small for commercial exploitation.
Genus Gymnocranius Klunzinger, 1870
Cheek with more than 3 rows of scales. At least 3 species,
2 from our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la No wavy blue lines on head; no V-shaped naked
area on nape ......................................................... G. griseus
Ib Wavy blue lines usually present along snout
and cheek; V-shaped naked area on nape ................ G. robinsoni
185.2 Gymnocranius griseus
(Schlegel, 1844)
PLATE 66
Grey barenose
Grys kaalneus
Dentex griseus Schlegel, in Temminck & Schlegel, 1844: 72, PI. 36
(Japan). Gymnocranius griseus: Smith, SFSA No. 649*; van der Elst,
1981: 234'.
595