Family No. 215: CHEILODACTYLIDAE
by M.M. Smith
Fingerfins
Vingervinne
Body oblong with small to moderate scales. Mouth small,
terminal or subterminal; lips thick in adult; teeth feeble, villiform, in bands anteriorly, none on vomer or palatines.
Maxilla exposed; no supramaxilla, preopercle smooth, no
spines on opercle. Gills 4, a slit behind 4th; pseudobranchiae
present. Vertebrae 14+21 except C. pixiwith 13+21. Dorsal fin single with 16-20 spines and 19-31 soft-rays; scaly
sheath along bases of anal and dorsal fins. Adults with lower
4-7 pectoral rays simple, thickened and elongated with up to
50% of distal part free, used for balancing the resting fish or
feeling for food. Pectoral formula given as follows: number
of upper simple rays + number of branched rays + number
of lower elongate simple rays.
Small juveniles often shelter under floating objects and
are difficult to recognise as lower pectoral rays are not yet
elongated. All species eat small invertebrates: worms,
crabs, shellfish; the larger fishes sometimes take squid or
fish bait. Flesh excellent. Five endemic species in 2 genera
in our area. Taxonomic review of South African species by
M. M. Smith (1980).
KEY TO GENERA
la Scales small, about 80 in LL; no naked groove
below D sheath; 4-5 enlarged lower Prays ............. Cheilodactylus
Ib Scales moderate, 46-55 in LL; a naked groove
below D sheath; 6-7 enlarged lower Prays .............. Chirodactylus
Genus Cheilodactylus Lacepede, 1803
Dorsal sheath of 6, and anal sheath of 3-4 scale rows.
South African species with crossbars.
KEY TO SPECIES
la C with oblique dark bars; scale edge smooth;
Drays 23-25 ........................................................ c. fasciatus
Ib C uniform; scale edge with skinny flap; Drays 19-23 .......... C. pixi
Redfingers
215.1 Cheilodactylus fasciatus
Lacepede, 1803
PLATE 85
Rooivingers
Cheilodactylus fasciatus Lacepede, 1803: 6, PI. 1 (no locality); Smith,
SFSA No. 397*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 86*; Penrith, 1976: 152; Smith,
1980: 5*. Chilodactylus multiradiatus Castelnau, 1861: 12 (Cape Province).
D XVII-XIX,23-25; A m,9-11; P (1-2)+(7-9)+(5-4) total 14; LL about
80; GR (5-6)+(13-15). Depth 3.2-3.7, head 2.7-3.5. Eye 0.7-1.0 in interorbital, 3.4-4.5 in head. Longest P ray reaches A origin, about equals head
length in adult.
215: CHEILODACTYLIDAE (FINGERFINS)
Dark brown bars always staggered anteriorly, C with
10-12 oblique sepia streaks. Attains 30 cm. Subtidally to
25 m from Kunene River, Namibia to Natal; common in
rocky tidepools on south coast.
215.2 Cheilodactylus pixi
Smith,1980
PLATE 84
Barred fingerfin
Balk-vingervin
Cheilodactylus pixi Smith, 1980: 2, PI. 1, Figs. A& B (off Kowie River).
D XVIII-XX,19-23; A III,9-11; P 1+(7-8)+(5-4) total 13; LL
(78-85)+(3-5); GR (4-6)+(13-16). Depth 2.6-3.3; head 3.0-3.5. Eye
0.7-1.1 in interorbital, 3.4-4.5 in head. Longest P ray equal to or slightly
longer than head, does not reach A origin. Scales with skinny flaps on
smooth margin, giving fish a rough sandpaper appearance.
Body bars always continuous from top to bottom; C
uniform. Attains 18 cm. Common in 5 - 30 m among rocks,
from Knysna to Coffee Bay; taken in 97 m off Transkei.
Genus Chirodactylus Gill, 1862
The genus Palunolepis Barnard, 1927 is considered a
synonym. D sheath scales in 1-3 rows; A sheath of 1 row of
scales. Gasbladder present in South African species.
KEY TO SPECIES (Trichotomous)
la Head and front of body dark dorsally, divided
from light ventral colour by silver streak; Drays
28-31; naked groove at D base starts below 2nd
or 3rd D spine ............................................. C. brachydactylus
Ib Colour uniform brown; Drays 22-24; naked
groove at D base starts below 2nd or 3rd D spine ........... C. grandis
lc Colour uniform scarlet with conspicuous shining
black (or dark red) area on body at P axil; Drays
26-27; naked groove starts below 10th to 13th
D spine ...................................................... C. jessicalenorum
215.3 Chirodactylus brachydactylus
(Cuvier, 1830)
PLATE 85
Twotone fingerfin
Steenklipvis
Cheilodactylus brachydactylus Cuvier, in Cuv. & VaL, 1830: 361 (Cape
of Good Hope). Chilodactylus brevispinis Regan, 1921: 416 (Natal).
Palunolepis brachydactylus: Smith, SFSA No. 398*; Smith & Smith, 1966:
87*. Chirodactylus brachydactylus: Smith, 1980: 8*; van der Elst, 1981:
153*.
D XVII-XVm,28-31; A m,8-1O; P 2+6+6; LL (46-50)+(3-5); GR
6+(14-15). Depth 2.6-3.0, head 2.9-3.3. Eye 0.8-1.2 in interorbital,
4.0-4.8 in head. Longest P ray about head length, not reaching past anus.
Easily distinguished by the bicoloration, but very similar
to C. jessicalenorum in counts and measurements. Both
species are common on Aliwal Shoal south of Durban.
Attains 40 cm. Walvis Bay to Delagoa Bay; plentiful in
667
by M.M. Smith
Fingerfins
Vingervinne
Body oblong with small to moderate scales. Mouth small,
terminal or subterminal; lips thick in adult; teeth feeble, villiform, in bands anteriorly, none on vomer or palatines.
Maxilla exposed; no supramaxilla, preopercle smooth, no
spines on opercle. Gills 4, a slit behind 4th; pseudobranchiae
present. Vertebrae 14+21 except C. pixiwith 13+21. Dorsal fin single with 16-20 spines and 19-31 soft-rays; scaly
sheath along bases of anal and dorsal fins. Adults with lower
4-7 pectoral rays simple, thickened and elongated with up to
50% of distal part free, used for balancing the resting fish or
feeling for food. Pectoral formula given as follows: number
of upper simple rays + number of branched rays + number
of lower elongate simple rays.
Small juveniles often shelter under floating objects and
are difficult to recognise as lower pectoral rays are not yet
elongated. All species eat small invertebrates: worms,
crabs, shellfish; the larger fishes sometimes take squid or
fish bait. Flesh excellent. Five endemic species in 2 genera
in our area. Taxonomic review of South African species by
M. M. Smith (1980).
KEY TO GENERA
la Scales small, about 80 in LL; no naked groove
below D sheath; 4-5 enlarged lower Prays ............. Cheilodactylus
Ib Scales moderate, 46-55 in LL; a naked groove
below D sheath; 6-7 enlarged lower Prays .............. Chirodactylus
Genus Cheilodactylus Lacepede, 1803
Dorsal sheath of 6, and anal sheath of 3-4 scale rows.
South African species with crossbars.
KEY TO SPECIES
la C with oblique dark bars; scale edge smooth;
Drays 23-25 ........................................................ c. fasciatus
Ib C uniform; scale edge with skinny flap; Drays 19-23 .......... C. pixi
Redfingers
215.1 Cheilodactylus fasciatus
Lacepede, 1803
PLATE 85
Rooivingers
Cheilodactylus fasciatus Lacepede, 1803: 6, PI. 1 (no locality); Smith,
SFSA No. 397*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 86*; Penrith, 1976: 152; Smith,
1980: 5*. Chilodactylus multiradiatus Castelnau, 1861: 12 (Cape Province).
D XVII-XIX,23-25; A m,9-11; P (1-2)+(7-9)+(5-4) total 14; LL about
80; GR (5-6)+(13-15). Depth 3.2-3.7, head 2.7-3.5. Eye 0.7-1.0 in interorbital, 3.4-4.5 in head. Longest P ray reaches A origin, about equals head
length in adult.
215: CHEILODACTYLIDAE (FINGERFINS)
Dark brown bars always staggered anteriorly, C with
10-12 oblique sepia streaks. Attains 30 cm. Subtidally to
25 m from Kunene River, Namibia to Natal; common in
rocky tidepools on south coast.
215.2 Cheilodactylus pixi
Smith,1980
PLATE 84
Barred fingerfin
Balk-vingervin
Cheilodactylus pixi Smith, 1980: 2, PI. 1, Figs. A& B (off Kowie River).
D XVIII-XX,19-23; A III,9-11; P 1+(7-8)+(5-4) total 13; LL
(78-85)+(3-5); GR (4-6)+(13-16). Depth 2.6-3.3; head 3.0-3.5. Eye
0.7-1.1 in interorbital, 3.4-4.5 in head. Longest P ray equal to or slightly
longer than head, does not reach A origin. Scales with skinny flaps on
smooth margin, giving fish a rough sandpaper appearance.
Body bars always continuous from top to bottom; C
uniform. Attains 18 cm. Common in 5 - 30 m among rocks,
from Knysna to Coffee Bay; taken in 97 m off Transkei.
Genus Chirodactylus Gill, 1862
The genus Palunolepis Barnard, 1927 is considered a
synonym. D sheath scales in 1-3 rows; A sheath of 1 row of
scales. Gasbladder present in South African species.
KEY TO SPECIES (Trichotomous)
la Head and front of body dark dorsally, divided
from light ventral colour by silver streak; Drays
28-31; naked groove at D base starts below 2nd
or 3rd D spine ............................................. C. brachydactylus
Ib Colour uniform brown; Drays 22-24; naked
groove at D base starts below 2nd or 3rd D spine ........... C. grandis
lc Colour uniform scarlet with conspicuous shining
black (or dark red) area on body at P axil; Drays
26-27; naked groove starts below 10th to 13th
D spine ...................................................... C. jessicalenorum
215.3 Chirodactylus brachydactylus
(Cuvier, 1830)
PLATE 85
Twotone fingerfin
Steenklipvis
Cheilodactylus brachydactylus Cuvier, in Cuv. & VaL, 1830: 361 (Cape
of Good Hope). Chilodactylus brevispinis Regan, 1921: 416 (Natal).
Palunolepis brachydactylus: Smith, SFSA No. 398*; Smith & Smith, 1966:
87*. Chirodactylus brachydactylus: Smith, 1980: 8*; van der Elst, 1981:
153*.
D XVII-XVm,28-31; A m,8-1O; P 2+6+6; LL (46-50)+(3-5); GR
6+(14-15). Depth 2.6-3.0, head 2.9-3.3. Eye 0.8-1.2 in interorbital,
4.0-4.8 in head. Longest P ray about head length, not reaching past anus.
Easily distinguished by the bicoloration, but very similar
to C. jessicalenorum in counts and measurements. Both
species are common on Aliwal Shoal south of Durban.
Attains 40 cm. Walvis Bay to Delagoa Bay; plentiful in
667