D VI (embedded and not apparent in adults) + 1,18-20; A 11+1,18-20;
anterior D and A rays extremely long and filamentous in young and
juveniles; GR (8-11)+(21-26). Body superficially naked, scales minute
and embedded.
Mostly silvery, with dusky green tinge dorsally; small,
diffuse, dark opercular spot; juveniles with 5-7 broad, dark
bands. Attains 150 cm; South African spearfishing record
21.4 kg. Adults form large shoals, common in coastal waters
including reef areas; juveniles solitary, often entering
estuaries. Durban northward; widespread throughout
Indian Ocean and eastward to Ryukyu Ids. and Australia.
Also known as "Indian threadfish".
Genus Alepes Swainson, 1839
Four species; 1 in southern Africa.
Shrimp scad
210.3 Alepes djedaba
(Forsskal,1775)
PLATE 79
Krewel-skad
Scomber djedaba Forsski'll, 1775 : 56 (Red Sea). Caranx microbrachium
Fowler, 1934: 420, Fig. 9 (Natal Coast); Smith, SFSA No. 509*. Caranx
djedaba: Smith, SFSA No. 508*. Alepes djeddaba [sic] : van der Elst , 1981:
111*. Selar kalla (non Cuvier) : Smith , SFSA No. 502.
D VIII + 1,23-25 ; A 11+1,18-20; GR (10-14)+(27-33). Both jaws with a
single row of numerous comblike teeth ; adipose eyelid well developed
only on rear half of eye. Straight LL with 0-2 scales and 39-51 scutes.
Greyish green above, silvery to white below; distinct
black blotch on upper margin of opercle , bordered above
by a smaller white spot; C yellowish, upper lobe dusky to
black distally. Attains 34 cm. Common near inshore reefs,
often in large schools. Durban northward throughout
Indian Ocean; a recent immigrant to eastern Mediterranean from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal.
210.3 Alepes djedaba: 23.5 em FL.
Genus Atule Jordan & Jordan, 1922
A monotypic genus that is superficially similar to Decapterus in having the terminal D and A rays semi-detached in
large individuals.
210: CARANGIDAE (KINGFISHES)
210.4 Atule mate
(Cuvier, 1833)
PLATE 79
Yellowtail scad
Geelstert -skad
Caranx mate Cuvier, in Cuv. & VaL, 1833: 54 (Pondicherry, India ;
Seychelles; New Guinea) ; Smith, SFSA No. 510*; Smith & Smith , 1969:
22*. Caranxaffinis Riippell, 1836: 49, PI. 14, Fig. 1 (Red Sea) . Decapterus
normani Bertin & Dollfus, 1948: 21, Fig. 7 (Madagascar).
D VIII+I ,22-25 ; A 11+1,18-21, terminal D and A rays finlet-like in
large adults but joined to adjacent rays by inter-radial membrane ; GR
(10-13)+(26-31) . Both jaws with single series of small, conspicuous teeth,
and (in large adults) upper jaw with 2-3 rows of small canines anteriorly;
adipose eyelid completely covering eye except for a vertical slit centered
on pupil. Straight LL with 0-10 scales and 36-39 scutes.
Bright olive green dorsally, shading to white ventrally;
9-10 grey bands, wider than pale interspaces, usually present dorsolaterally; black opercular spot; D and C dusky
greenish yellow. Attains 30 cm. Schools in inshore waters to
50 m depth. Mozambique northward; widespread in IndoWest Pacific eastward to Hawaiian Ids.
210.4 Atule mate: 28.5 em FL.
Genus Carangoides Bleeker, 1851
Generic limits of Carangoides not well established; as
here defined, 21 species, 12 in our area. Citula Cuvier, 1816
may be a valid senior synonym. Species of Carangoides that
have variable patterns of breast squamation may key out
under both sections of couplets when this character is used.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Breast completely scaled ... ... ... ........ ... ...... ... .. ... ...... .... .... ... 2
Ib Breast partially to completely naked ... .... .... ....... .... ..... .... ..... 3
2a Second D with a dark submarginal band ; rear margin
of opercle not black; A rays 21-24 ... ... ..... ... ......... ... .. C. equula
2b Second D without a dark submarginal band ; rear
margin of preopercle outlined in black ; A rays
18-20 ........... ... ..... .. .... ... ...... ....... ...... .. .... ... .. C. plagiotaenia
3a Naked area of breast separated from naked base
of P by a broad band of scales ......... .. ..... .... ... ... .. .... .... .... ..... 4
3b Naked area of breast uninterrupted to naked base of P ... ....... ... 8
4a Drays 25-34; A rays 21-26 ... ... ... .... ... .. .. .... ...... .. ... .... ... .... ... 5
4b Drays 17-23; A rays 15-19 ... ... ... .... .. .. .. .. .... ... ..... ...... .... ... .. . 6
641
anterior D and A rays extremely long and filamentous in young and
juveniles; GR (8-11)+(21-26). Body superficially naked, scales minute
and embedded.
Mostly silvery, with dusky green tinge dorsally; small,
diffuse, dark opercular spot; juveniles with 5-7 broad, dark
bands. Attains 150 cm; South African spearfishing record
21.4 kg. Adults form large shoals, common in coastal waters
including reef areas; juveniles solitary, often entering
estuaries. Durban northward; widespread throughout
Indian Ocean and eastward to Ryukyu Ids. and Australia.
Also known as "Indian threadfish".
Genus Alepes Swainson, 1839
Four species; 1 in southern Africa.
Shrimp scad
210.3 Alepes djedaba
(Forsskal,1775)
PLATE 79
Krewel-skad
Scomber djedaba Forsski'll, 1775 : 56 (Red Sea). Caranx microbrachium
Fowler, 1934: 420, Fig. 9 (Natal Coast); Smith, SFSA No. 509*. Caranx
djedaba: Smith, SFSA No. 508*. Alepes djeddaba [sic] : van der Elst , 1981:
111*. Selar kalla (non Cuvier) : Smith , SFSA No. 502.
D VIII + 1,23-25 ; A 11+1,18-20; GR (10-14)+(27-33). Both jaws with a
single row of numerous comblike teeth ; adipose eyelid well developed
only on rear half of eye. Straight LL with 0-2 scales and 39-51 scutes.
Greyish green above, silvery to white below; distinct
black blotch on upper margin of opercle , bordered above
by a smaller white spot; C yellowish, upper lobe dusky to
black distally. Attains 34 cm. Common near inshore reefs,
often in large schools. Durban northward throughout
Indian Ocean; a recent immigrant to eastern Mediterranean from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal.
210.3 Alepes djedaba: 23.5 em FL.
Genus Atule Jordan & Jordan, 1922
A monotypic genus that is superficially similar to Decapterus in having the terminal D and A rays semi-detached in
large individuals.
210: CARANGIDAE (KINGFISHES)
210.4 Atule mate
(Cuvier, 1833)
PLATE 79
Yellowtail scad
Geelstert -skad
Caranx mate Cuvier, in Cuv. & VaL, 1833: 54 (Pondicherry, India ;
Seychelles; New Guinea) ; Smith, SFSA No. 510*; Smith & Smith , 1969:
22*. Caranxaffinis Riippell, 1836: 49, PI. 14, Fig. 1 (Red Sea) . Decapterus
normani Bertin & Dollfus, 1948: 21, Fig. 7 (Madagascar).
D VIII+I ,22-25 ; A 11+1,18-21, terminal D and A rays finlet-like in
large adults but joined to adjacent rays by inter-radial membrane ; GR
(10-13)+(26-31) . Both jaws with single series of small, conspicuous teeth,
and (in large adults) upper jaw with 2-3 rows of small canines anteriorly;
adipose eyelid completely covering eye except for a vertical slit centered
on pupil. Straight LL with 0-10 scales and 36-39 scutes.
Bright olive green dorsally, shading to white ventrally;
9-10 grey bands, wider than pale interspaces, usually present dorsolaterally; black opercular spot; D and C dusky
greenish yellow. Attains 30 cm. Schools in inshore waters to
50 m depth. Mozambique northward; widespread in IndoWest Pacific eastward to Hawaiian Ids.
210.4 Atule mate: 28.5 em FL.
Genus Carangoides Bleeker, 1851
Generic limits of Carangoides not well established; as
here defined, 21 species, 12 in our area. Citula Cuvier, 1816
may be a valid senior synonym. Species of Carangoides that
have variable patterns of breast squamation may key out
under both sections of couplets when this character is used.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Breast completely scaled ... ... ... ........ ... ...... ... .. ... ...... .... .... ... 2
Ib Breast partially to completely naked ... .... .... ....... .... ..... .... ..... 3
2a Second D with a dark submarginal band ; rear margin
of opercle not black; A rays 21-24 ... ... ..... ... ......... ... .. C. equula
2b Second D without a dark submarginal band ; rear
margin of preopercle outlined in black ; A rays
18-20 ........... ... ..... .. .... ... ...... ....... ...... .. .... ... .. C. plagiotaenia
3a Naked area of breast separated from naked base
of P by a broad band of scales ......... .. ..... .... ... ... .. .... .... .... ..... 4
3b Naked area of breast uninterrupted to naked base of P ... ....... ... 8
4a Drays 25-34; A rays 21-26 ... ... ... .... ... .. .. .... ...... .. ... .... ... .... ... 5
4b Drays 17-23; A rays 15-19 ... ... ... .... .. .. .. .. .... ... ..... ...... .... ... .. . 6
641