213: ECHENEIDAE (REMORAS)
213.6 Remorinaalbescens: 14 cm and dorsal view of head to show sucker (Algoa Bay).
Genus Remorina Jordan & Evermann, 1896
Monotypic.
White remora
213.6 Remorina albescens
(Temminck & Schlegel, 1845)
Wit remora
Eeheneis albeseens Temminck & Schlegel, 1845: 272, PI. 120, Fig. 3
(Nagasaki , Japan). Eeheneis clypeata Gunther, 1860: 401 (Cape Seas) .
Remora albeseens, Smith, SFSA No. 946. Remorina albeseens: Cressey &
Lachner, 1970: 315; Lachner , 1973:640.
017-22; A 21-26; P 18-21; lower GR about 10, including rudiments.
Colour: pale grey to white. Attains 30 cm. Worldwide,
rarely near shore; prefers manta rays (Mobulidae), attaching near mouth, in mouth cavity and gill chambers.
Family No. 214: CIRRHITIDAE
by J.E. Randall
Hawkfishes
Valkvisse
A continuous, notched dorsal fin with 10 spines and 11-17
rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 5-7 rays; pectoral fins with 14
rays, the lower 5-7 unbranched and usually enlarged with
membranes deeply incised. One or more cirri projecting
from interspinous membranes near tips of dorsal spines; a
fringe of cirri on hind edge of front nostrils. No gasbladder.
Scales cycloid, 3-5 rows above lateral line. Two indistinct
flattened spines on opercle. An outer row of canine teeth in
jaws (those anteriorly in upper jaw and 2-4 on side of lower
jaw longest), and a band of villi form teeth medial to canines
(villiform teeth restricted to front of lower jaw). Vertebrae
26.
Small to medium-sized fishes, usually occurring in shallow water (a few species are commonly found at depths
greater than 30 or 40 m). Hawkfishes reside on the bottom,
often using their thickened lower pectoral rays to wedge
themselves in place, particularly in wave-washed areas;
some species seek refuge among branches of live coral.
Carnivorous, feeding mainly on benthic crustaceans and
small fishes . Cyprinocirrhites is exceptional in rising off the
bottom to feed on zooplankton. Nine genera and 35 species;
664
tropical and subtropical in all oceans (3 species in Atlantic,
3 in eastern Pacific, the rest Indo-Pacific). Randall (1963)
reviewed the family. Randall & Heemstra (1978) showed
that Serranocirrhitus latus Watanabe, described as a
cirrhitid, is an anthiine fish, Family Serranidae; they also
transferred Isobuna japonica (Steindachner) from the
Cirrhitidae to the genus Plectranthias of the Anthiinae.
KEY TO GENERA
la Snout elongate, its length about 2 in head; body
slender, the depth 4.4-4.6 in SL; canine teeth
in jaws only slightly longer than inner villiform
teeth ... ..... ..... .......... ..... .... ... ... ....... ................. .. Oxyeirrhites
(One species, O. typus Bleeker, known from Red Sea to Baja
California, usually at depths greater than 30 m; not recorded from
southern Africa but might be expected south of 20 0 S)
1 b Snout not elongate, its length about 3-5 in head; body not
slender, the depth 2.0-3.4 in SL; canine teeth in jaws
notably longer than inner villiform teeth ................................. 2
2a C lunate; 0 X,16-17 ......... ....................... ...... . Cyprinocirrhites
2b C rounded, truncate, or slightly emarginate; 0 X,1l-15 ............ . 3
3a Rows of large scales above LL to base of 0 spines
5; a single cirrus from membrane near tip of each
o spine .......... ... ....... ......... .. ..... .. .. .. .................. Paraeirrhites
3b Rows of large scales above LL to base of 0 spines
3-4; a tuft of cirri from membrane near tip of
each 0 spine ... ....... .... .... ... .... ........ .......... .... .. .. ........ ......... 4
4a Cheek scales small, in more than 12 irregular
rows; spinous 0 membranes not deeply incised;
lower 7 P rays unbranched ........ .. .................. ...... ...... Cirrhitus
4b Four or 5 rows of large scales on cheek (small scales
usually present as well); spinous 0 membranes
moderately to deeply incised; lower 5-7 P rays unbranched ...... ... 5
5a 0 X,14-15; upper 2 P rays unbranched ........................ Cirrhitops
(c. fasciatus (Bennett) known from Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar,
Japan and Hawaiian Ids.)
5b 0 X,ll-13; only uppermost P ray unbranched ...... .. ............ .. ... 6
6a Preopercle finely serrate; interorbital space
scaly; 1st 0 soft-ray not produced into a filament;
lower 5 (rarely 6) P rays unbranched .. ................. Amblycirrhitus
6b Preopercle coarsely serrate; interorbital space
not scaly; 1st 0 soft-ray usually produced into a
filament; lower 6 or 7 P rays unbranched ... .. .......... . Cirrhitiehthys
Genus Amb/ycirrhitus Gill, 1862
Six species, 1 in our area.
213.6 Remorinaalbescens: 14 cm and dorsal view of head to show sucker (Algoa Bay).
Genus Remorina Jordan & Evermann, 1896
Monotypic.
White remora
213.6 Remorina albescens
(Temminck & Schlegel, 1845)
Wit remora
Eeheneis albeseens Temminck & Schlegel, 1845: 272, PI. 120, Fig. 3
(Nagasaki , Japan). Eeheneis clypeata Gunther, 1860: 401 (Cape Seas) .
Remora albeseens, Smith, SFSA No. 946. Remorina albeseens: Cressey &
Lachner, 1970: 315; Lachner , 1973:640.
017-22; A 21-26; P 18-21; lower GR about 10, including rudiments.
Colour: pale grey to white. Attains 30 cm. Worldwide,
rarely near shore; prefers manta rays (Mobulidae), attaching near mouth, in mouth cavity and gill chambers.
Family No. 214: CIRRHITIDAE
by J.E. Randall
Hawkfishes
Valkvisse
A continuous, notched dorsal fin with 10 spines and 11-17
rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 5-7 rays; pectoral fins with 14
rays, the lower 5-7 unbranched and usually enlarged with
membranes deeply incised. One or more cirri projecting
from interspinous membranes near tips of dorsal spines; a
fringe of cirri on hind edge of front nostrils. No gasbladder.
Scales cycloid, 3-5 rows above lateral line. Two indistinct
flattened spines on opercle. An outer row of canine teeth in
jaws (those anteriorly in upper jaw and 2-4 on side of lower
jaw longest), and a band of villi form teeth medial to canines
(villiform teeth restricted to front of lower jaw). Vertebrae
26.
Small to medium-sized fishes, usually occurring in shallow water (a few species are commonly found at depths
greater than 30 or 40 m). Hawkfishes reside on the bottom,
often using their thickened lower pectoral rays to wedge
themselves in place, particularly in wave-washed areas;
some species seek refuge among branches of live coral.
Carnivorous, feeding mainly on benthic crustaceans and
small fishes . Cyprinocirrhites is exceptional in rising off the
bottom to feed on zooplankton. Nine genera and 35 species;
664
tropical and subtropical in all oceans (3 species in Atlantic,
3 in eastern Pacific, the rest Indo-Pacific). Randall (1963)
reviewed the family. Randall & Heemstra (1978) showed
that Serranocirrhitus latus Watanabe, described as a
cirrhitid, is an anthiine fish, Family Serranidae; they also
transferred Isobuna japonica (Steindachner) from the
Cirrhitidae to the genus Plectranthias of the Anthiinae.
KEY TO GENERA
la Snout elongate, its length about 2 in head; body
slender, the depth 4.4-4.6 in SL; canine teeth
in jaws only slightly longer than inner villiform
teeth ... ..... ..... .......... ..... .... ... ... ....... ................. .. Oxyeirrhites
(One species, O. typus Bleeker, known from Red Sea to Baja
California, usually at depths greater than 30 m; not recorded from
southern Africa but might be expected south of 20 0 S)
1 b Snout not elongate, its length about 3-5 in head; body not
slender, the depth 2.0-3.4 in SL; canine teeth in jaws
notably longer than inner villiform teeth ................................. 2
2a C lunate; 0 X,16-17 ......... ....................... ...... . Cyprinocirrhites
2b C rounded, truncate, or slightly emarginate; 0 X,1l-15 ............ . 3
3a Rows of large scales above LL to base of 0 spines
5; a single cirrus from membrane near tip of each
o spine .......... ... ....... ......... .. ..... .. .. .. .................. Paraeirrhites
3b Rows of large scales above LL to base of 0 spines
3-4; a tuft of cirri from membrane near tip of
each 0 spine ... ....... .... .... ... .... ........ .......... .... .. .. ........ ......... 4
4a Cheek scales small, in more than 12 irregular
rows; spinous 0 membranes not deeply incised;
lower 7 P rays unbranched ........ .. .................. ...... ...... Cirrhitus
4b Four or 5 rows of large scales on cheek (small scales
usually present as well); spinous 0 membranes
moderately to deeply incised; lower 5-7 P rays unbranched ...... ... 5
5a 0 X,14-15; upper 2 P rays unbranched ........................ Cirrhitops
(c. fasciatus (Bennett) known from Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar,
Japan and Hawaiian Ids.)
5b 0 X,ll-13; only uppermost P ray unbranched ...... .. ............ .. ... 6
6a Preopercle finely serrate; interorbital space
scaly; 1st 0 soft-ray not produced into a filament;
lower 5 (rarely 6) P rays unbranched .. ................. Amblycirrhitus
6b Preopercle coarsely serrate; interorbital space
not scaly; 1st 0 soft-ray usually produced into a
filament; lower 6 or 7 P rays unbranched ... .. .......... . Cirrhitiehthys
Genus Amb/ycirrhitus Gill, 1862
Six species, 1 in our area.