3a Upper and lower edge of C base usually with 2-3
projecting (easily detectable with dissecting needle)
spiniform , procurrent rays; teeth usually conical
in 2 or more rows (except in Chromis dasygenys
which has flattened teeth in a single row) ......... .......... ....... .... 4
3b Upper and lower edge of C base without projecting
spiniform procurrent rays; teeth conical to flattened in
1 or2 rows ....... ... ........................ .... ..... ..... ....... .. ............ 5
4a Suborbital and rear margin of preopercle finely
serrate; body shape orbiculate, the depth 1.4-1.7 in
SL .... ....... .... ........ ..... ..... ............ .... ..... ... .. ... ...... . Dascyllus
4b Suborbital edge smooth or covered with scales ;
rear margin of preorbital usually smooth or only
weakly crenulate; body nore elongate , the depth
1.7-2.4 in SL ... .... ... .......... ... .......... ......... ...... ......... . Chromis
5a Body elongate, depth 2.9-3.4 in SL; small slender
papillae on rear edge of orbit .... ..... ............ ..... .... Lepidozygus
5b Body orbiculate to oval, depth usually 1.7-2.6 in SL;
no papillae on edge of orbit ........ ........................ ... ... ...... ... 6
6a Posterior tips of 0, A and C filamentous
(at least in adults); C lunate or strongly
emarginate ... .... ............. .. ... .... ........ ...... .. .... Neopomacentrus
6b Posterior tips of 0, A and C not filamentous;
C emarginate .. ...... .... ..... ..... .. ..... ............. ... ....... ... .. ... .... .. 7
7a Rear margin of preopercle serrate ........ ..... .... .... ........... ..... .. 8
7b Rear margin of preopercle smooth ....... ..... ....... .... .......... ..... 9
8a 1 row of teeth in jaws; A 11,12-14 ................ ............. .. Stegastes
8b 2 rows of teeth in jaws; A 11,12-17 .. .... ..... .... ....... .. Pomacentrus
9a Scale rows from LL to base of 6th 0 spine 3-3Yz .......... Abudefduf
9b Scale rows from LL to base of 6th 0 spine 1 Yz - 2Yz .... ....... .... .. 10
lOa Teeth in 1 row; 12 0 spines ... ..... .......... ...... Plectroglyphidodon
lOb Teeth in 2 rows; 13 0 spines ........ ... .. ....... ... .. ............ ......... 11
11a Body depth usually less than 2.0 in SL; suborbital
scaly .. ... .......... ..... ......... .... ..... ............. .... . Paraglyphidodon
11b Body depth usually more than 2.0 in SL; suborbital
without scales ...... .. .. ... ...... ... ........... ........... ..... .. . Chrysiptera
Genus AbudefdufForsskal, 1775
Abudefduf sculptus (Peters, 1855) from Mozambique is a
mystery species (see Smith, SFSA No. 766; 1960: 339).
Fourteen species; 7 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Large dark spot covering most of side of C peduncle;
sides of body without markings .................. ..... ....... A. sparoides
1 b Dark spot on side of C peduncle absent; sides of
body usually with dark and light transverse bands ....... .. .... .. ..... . 2
2a C peduncle with prominent black spot on dorsal
surface; soft 0 rays 15-16 (rarely 14) ... ................... .. A. sordidus
2b C peduncle without black spot on dorsal surface
(except dark saddle present on A. septemfasciatus
less than 5 cm SL); soft 0 rays usually
12-14 (last ray sometimes branched near base) ..... ....... .......... .. . 3
3a Each C lobe with prominent longitudinal dark band
near outer margin .. .. .......... ............. .. ..... ... .. ... ...... .. .......... . 4
3b C lobes without longitudinal dark band .. ..... .... ..... ....... ... ........ 5
219: POMACENTRIDAE (DAMSELF1SHES)
4a 5 broad dark crossbars on body, the last bar (at
C base) separate from dark longitudinal band on
lower C lobe .. .... .. .... .. .... ...... .... ... .. ..... ........ ..... A. sexfasciatus
(A) A. sexfasciatus; (8) A natalensis colour pattem (after Hensley & Randall, 1983).
4b 4 broad dark crossbars on body, the last joined
to dark longitudinal band on each C lobe ....... .... ...... A. natalensis
5a Colour of body brown, with 0-5 narrow light bars
on sides ........ .... ..... ..... .. ... ..... .... .. ......... .......... .. ... . A . notatus
5b Colour of body generally pale with 5 or 6 dark bars on sides ........ 6
6a 5 dark bars present on sides, usually distinct ..... ......... A. vaigiensis
6b 6 dark bars present on sides, sometimes
faint .... .......... .. ......... .. ....... .. ......... ... .... ..... A. septemfasciatus
219.1 Abudefduf natalensis
Hensley & Randall, 1983
PLATE 85
Fourbar damsel
Vierbalk-nooientjie
Abudefdufsexfasciatus (non Lacepede): Smith, SFSA No, 762 (in part);
1960: 332 (not PI. 29, Fig. C). Abudefduf natalensis Hensley & Randall,
1983: 2, Figs. 1,2, 3A (Sodwana Bay).
o XII-XIII, 12-13; A 11,12-13; P 18-20; LL20-22; total GR22-26. Depth
1.7-2.0; head 2.9-3.5.
Body pale, with 4 broad dark bars, 1st bar below 1st 5 or 6
D spines in adults; last bar at C base joining dark band along
both lobes of C; in juveniles, the dark bar at C base is not or
only barely connected to dark band along lower C lobe;
spinous part of D dark grey to black; front part of A also
dark. Attains 17 cm. Transkei to Kosi Bay, northern limit
uncertain .
219.2 Abudefduf notatus
(Day, 1869)
Dusky damsel
Donker nooientjie
Glyphidodon notatus Day, 1869: 521 (Andamans). Abudefdufnotatus:
Smith, 1960: 332*; Allen, 1975: 114*; Smith, 1980: 180.
o XIII,13-14; A 11,13-14; P 18; LL 19-21; total GR 26-27 . Depth
1.7-1.9; head 3.6.
Dark brown; blue spots on scales and dark mark at P
base; C pale yellow. Attains 17 cm. Inhabits rocky shores in
1 - 12 m usually in areas exposed to wave action; Indo-West
Pacific south to Kosi Bay.
671
projecting (easily detectable with dissecting needle)
spiniform , procurrent rays; teeth usually conical
in 2 or more rows (except in Chromis dasygenys
which has flattened teeth in a single row) ......... .......... ....... .... 4
3b Upper and lower edge of C base without projecting
spiniform procurrent rays; teeth conical to flattened in
1 or2 rows ....... ... ........................ .... ..... ..... ....... .. ............ 5
4a Suborbital and rear margin of preopercle finely
serrate; body shape orbiculate, the depth 1.4-1.7 in
SL .... ....... .... ........ ..... ..... ............ .... ..... ... .. ... ...... . Dascyllus
4b Suborbital edge smooth or covered with scales ;
rear margin of preorbital usually smooth or only
weakly crenulate; body nore elongate , the depth
1.7-2.4 in SL ... .... ... .......... ... .......... ......... ...... ......... . Chromis
5a Body elongate, depth 2.9-3.4 in SL; small slender
papillae on rear edge of orbit .... ..... ............ ..... .... Lepidozygus
5b Body orbiculate to oval, depth usually 1.7-2.6 in SL;
no papillae on edge of orbit ........ ........................ ... ... ...... ... 6
6a Posterior tips of 0, A and C filamentous
(at least in adults); C lunate or strongly
emarginate ... .... ............. .. ... .... ........ ...... .. .... Neopomacentrus
6b Posterior tips of 0, A and C not filamentous;
C emarginate .. ...... .... ..... ..... .. ..... ............. ... ....... ... .. ... .... .. 7
7a Rear margin of preopercle serrate ........ ..... .... .... ........... ..... .. 8
7b Rear margin of preopercle smooth ....... ..... ....... .... .......... ..... 9
8a 1 row of teeth in jaws; A 11,12-14 ................ ............. .. Stegastes
8b 2 rows of teeth in jaws; A 11,12-17 .. .... ..... .... ....... .. Pomacentrus
9a Scale rows from LL to base of 6th 0 spine 3-3Yz .......... Abudefduf
9b Scale rows from LL to base of 6th 0 spine 1 Yz - 2Yz .... ....... .... .. 10
lOa Teeth in 1 row; 12 0 spines ... ..... .......... ...... Plectroglyphidodon
lOb Teeth in 2 rows; 13 0 spines ........ ... .. ....... ... .. ............ ......... 11
11a Body depth usually less than 2.0 in SL; suborbital
scaly .. ... .......... ..... ......... .... ..... ............. .... . Paraglyphidodon
11b Body depth usually more than 2.0 in SL; suborbital
without scales ...... .. .. ... ...... ... ........... ........... ..... .. . Chrysiptera
Genus AbudefdufForsskal, 1775
Abudefduf sculptus (Peters, 1855) from Mozambique is a
mystery species (see Smith, SFSA No. 766; 1960: 339).
Fourteen species; 7 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Large dark spot covering most of side of C peduncle;
sides of body without markings .................. ..... ....... A. sparoides
1 b Dark spot on side of C peduncle absent; sides of
body usually with dark and light transverse bands ....... .. .... .. ..... . 2
2a C peduncle with prominent black spot on dorsal
surface; soft 0 rays 15-16 (rarely 14) ... ................... .. A. sordidus
2b C peduncle without black spot on dorsal surface
(except dark saddle present on A. septemfasciatus
less than 5 cm SL); soft 0 rays usually
12-14 (last ray sometimes branched near base) ..... ....... .......... .. . 3
3a Each C lobe with prominent longitudinal dark band
near outer margin .. .. .......... ............. .. ..... ... .. ... ...... .. .......... . 4
3b C lobes without longitudinal dark band .. ..... .... ..... ....... ... ........ 5
219: POMACENTRIDAE (DAMSELF1SHES)
4a 5 broad dark crossbars on body, the last bar (at
C base) separate from dark longitudinal band on
lower C lobe .. .... .. .... .. .... ...... .... ... .. ..... ........ ..... A. sexfasciatus
(A) A. sexfasciatus; (8) A natalensis colour pattem (after Hensley & Randall, 1983).
4b 4 broad dark crossbars on body, the last joined
to dark longitudinal band on each C lobe ....... .... ...... A. natalensis
5a Colour of body brown, with 0-5 narrow light bars
on sides ........ .... ..... ..... .. ... ..... .... .. ......... .......... .. ... . A . notatus
5b Colour of body generally pale with 5 or 6 dark bars on sides ........ 6
6a 5 dark bars present on sides, usually distinct ..... ......... A. vaigiensis
6b 6 dark bars present on sides, sometimes
faint .... .......... .. ......... .. ....... .. ......... ... .... ..... A. septemfasciatus
219.1 Abudefduf natalensis
Hensley & Randall, 1983
PLATE 85
Fourbar damsel
Vierbalk-nooientjie
Abudefdufsexfasciatus (non Lacepede): Smith, SFSA No, 762 (in part);
1960: 332 (not PI. 29, Fig. C). Abudefduf natalensis Hensley & Randall,
1983: 2, Figs. 1,2, 3A (Sodwana Bay).
o XII-XIII, 12-13; A 11,12-13; P 18-20; LL20-22; total GR22-26. Depth
1.7-2.0; head 2.9-3.5.
Body pale, with 4 broad dark bars, 1st bar below 1st 5 or 6
D spines in adults; last bar at C base joining dark band along
both lobes of C; in juveniles, the dark bar at C base is not or
only barely connected to dark band along lower C lobe;
spinous part of D dark grey to black; front part of A also
dark. Attains 17 cm. Transkei to Kosi Bay, northern limit
uncertain .
219.2 Abudefduf notatus
(Day, 1869)
Dusky damsel
Donker nooientjie
Glyphidodon notatus Day, 1869: 521 (Andamans). Abudefdufnotatus:
Smith, 1960: 332*; Allen, 1975: 114*; Smith, 1980: 180.
o XIII,13-14; A 11,13-14; P 18; LL 19-21; total GR 26-27 . Depth
1.7-1.9; head 3.6.
Dark brown; blue spots on scales and dark mark at P
base; C pale yellow. Attains 17 cm. Inhabits rocky shores in
1 - 12 m usually in areas exposed to wave action; Indo-West
Pacific south to Kosi Bay.
671