D III-IV,43-47; A 1,37-40; P 16-17; total GR 6-14; LL 116-132. Body
depth 5.0-6.2, head length 3.0-4.0 in SL; snout length 2.1-2.7 in head.
Maxilla not reaching past front edge of eye.
Head and body bluish; lower C rays black. In juveniles,
the black midlateral band covers nearly the entire body and
C and extends across head to tip of snout. Attains 35 cm.
Indo-West Pacific from Red Sea to Hawaii; in our area,
south to Maputo.
197.5 Malaeanthus latovittatus: 45 em (Kenya).
Family No.198: SILLAGINIDAE
by R.J. McKay
Sillagos
Sillagos
Rather elongate cylindrical body with fairly small scales,
mostly easily shed. Small mouth with fine teeth in bands in
jaws and on vomer; none on palatines. Two dorsal fins, first
of 10-12 spines; 2 anal fin spines. Airbladder simple or
elaborate.
Shallow-water fishes of the tropical Indo-West Pacific;
often found in or near estuaries, the young burrow into the
sand when alarmed. Flesh white and much esteemed. Three
genera and about 25 species; only Sillago Cuvier, 1816 (with
about 20 species) represented in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a 1st V ray thick, bony and curved .......................... S. chondropus
1b 1st V soft-ray normal, not as above ....................................... 2
2a Body uniform pearly; A II,21-23 ............................... S. sihama
2b Body silvery with dark blotches; A II ,17-20 ......... ....... S. maculata
198.1 Sil/ago chondropus
Bleeker, 1849
Clubfoot sillago
Horrelvoet-sillago
Sillago chondropus Bleeker, 1849: 61 (Djakarta, Indonesia); Smith,
SFSA No. 469*; McKay, 1980: 382.
198.1 Si/lago ehondropus: 25 em (Natal).
198: SILLAGINIDAE (SILLAGOS)
D XI-XII+I,20-22; A II,22-28; P 15-17; LL66-73; 10werGR 7-8. Cheek
scales ctenoid, in 3-4 rows. Airbladder flattened and abruptly tapered to
terminate on 9th vertebra, without a blind duct-like process to vent. V
spine minute, adnate to 1st ray, which is thick, bony and recurved.
Attains at least 35 cm. A widespread Indo-West Pacific
species, extends south to Durban.
198.2 Sil/ago maculata
Quoy & Gaimard, 1824
Blotchy sillago
Gevlekte sillago
Si/lago maculata Quoy & Gaimard, 1824: 261, PI. 5, Fig. 2 (Sydney, Australia); Smith, SFSA No. 468; McKay, 1980: 383.
D XI+I,18-21; A II,17-20; P 15-17; LL 66-73; lower GR 9-10. Cheek
scales cycloid, in 2-3 rows. Airbladder with single median extension anteriorly, one posterior tapering extension and a blind duct-like process to
vent.
Attains 30 cm. Separated into 3 subspecies: maculata
(eastern Australia), burrus Richardson, 1842 (northern and
western Australia), and aeolus Jordan & Evermann, 1902
(China to South Africa). Has been found in Delagoa Bay,
rare in our area; specimens wanted.
198.2 Sillagomaeulata: 14 em (after Bleeker, 1877).
Silver sillago
198.3 Sil/ago sihama
(Forsskal,1775)
Silwer sillago
Atherinasihama Forsskal, 1775: 70 (Lohajae, Red Sea). Sillagosihama:
Smith, SFSA No. 467*; McKay, 1980: 381.
D XI+I,20-23; A II,21-23; P 16-17; LL 62-72; lower GR 8-10. Cheek
scales cycloid, in 2 rows. Airbladder with anterior and anterolateral extensions, 2 posterior extensions and iI blind duct-like process to vent.
Attains 30 cm. Widespread in the Indo-Pacific, reaches as
far south as Knysna, quite abundant in Natal estuaries.
198.3 Sillago sihama: 18 em (Inhaea Id.).
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depth 5.0-6.2, head length 3.0-4.0 in SL; snout length 2.1-2.7 in head.
Maxilla not reaching past front edge of eye.
Head and body bluish; lower C rays black. In juveniles,
the black midlateral band covers nearly the entire body and
C and extends across head to tip of snout. Attains 35 cm.
Indo-West Pacific from Red Sea to Hawaii; in our area,
south to Maputo.
197.5 Malaeanthus latovittatus: 45 em (Kenya).
Family No.198: SILLAGINIDAE
by R.J. McKay
Sillagos
Sillagos
Rather elongate cylindrical body with fairly small scales,
mostly easily shed. Small mouth with fine teeth in bands in
jaws and on vomer; none on palatines. Two dorsal fins, first
of 10-12 spines; 2 anal fin spines. Airbladder simple or
elaborate.
Shallow-water fishes of the tropical Indo-West Pacific;
often found in or near estuaries, the young burrow into the
sand when alarmed. Flesh white and much esteemed. Three
genera and about 25 species; only Sillago Cuvier, 1816 (with
about 20 species) represented in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a 1st V ray thick, bony and curved .......................... S. chondropus
1b 1st V soft-ray normal, not as above ....................................... 2
2a Body uniform pearly; A II,21-23 ............................... S. sihama
2b Body silvery with dark blotches; A II ,17-20 ......... ....... S. maculata
198.1 Sil/ago chondropus
Bleeker, 1849
Clubfoot sillago
Horrelvoet-sillago
Sillago chondropus Bleeker, 1849: 61 (Djakarta, Indonesia); Smith,
SFSA No. 469*; McKay, 1980: 382.
198.1 Si/lago ehondropus: 25 em (Natal).
198: SILLAGINIDAE (SILLAGOS)
D XI-XII+I,20-22; A II,22-28; P 15-17; LL66-73; 10werGR 7-8. Cheek
scales ctenoid, in 3-4 rows. Airbladder flattened and abruptly tapered to
terminate on 9th vertebra, without a blind duct-like process to vent. V
spine minute, adnate to 1st ray, which is thick, bony and recurved.
Attains at least 35 cm. A widespread Indo-West Pacific
species, extends south to Durban.
198.2 Sil/ago maculata
Quoy & Gaimard, 1824
Blotchy sillago
Gevlekte sillago
Si/lago maculata Quoy & Gaimard, 1824: 261, PI. 5, Fig. 2 (Sydney, Australia); Smith, SFSA No. 468; McKay, 1980: 383.
D XI+I,18-21; A II,17-20; P 15-17; LL 66-73; lower GR 9-10. Cheek
scales cycloid, in 2-3 rows. Airbladder with single median extension anteriorly, one posterior tapering extension and a blind duct-like process to
vent.
Attains 30 cm. Separated into 3 subspecies: maculata
(eastern Australia), burrus Richardson, 1842 (northern and
western Australia), and aeolus Jordan & Evermann, 1902
(China to South Africa). Has been found in Delagoa Bay,
rare in our area; specimens wanted.
198.2 Sillagomaeulata: 14 em (after Bleeker, 1877).
Silver sillago
198.3 Sil/ago sihama
(Forsskal,1775)
Silwer sillago
Atherinasihama Forsskal, 1775: 70 (Lohajae, Red Sea). Sillagosihama:
Smith, SFSA No. 467*; McKay, 1980: 381.
D XI+I,20-23; A II,21-23; P 16-17; LL 62-72; lower GR 8-10. Cheek
scales cycloid, in 2 rows. Airbladder with anterior and anterolateral extensions, 2 posterior extensions and iI blind duct-like process to vent.
Attains 30 cm. Widespread in the Indo-Pacific, reaches as
far south as Knysna, quite abundant in Natal estuaries.
198.3 Sillago sihama: 18 em (Inhaea Id.).
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