219: POMACENTRIDAE (DAMSELFISHES)
Generally pale grey-green grading to whitish on lower ~
of body; fins generally pale; C slightly dusky with broad
black bar across base; outer portion of P axil black. Attains
13 cm. Solitary individuals, pairs, or small aggregations
typically feed on plankton up to several metres above the
bottom in 30 - 50 m. Somalia south to Beira; also known
from Mauritius.
219.11 Chromis axillaris: 9 em SL (after Bruner & Arnam, 1970).
Blue puller
219.12 Chromis caerulea
(Cuvier, 1830)
PLATE 86
Blou trekker
Heliases caeruleus Cuvier, in Cuv . & VaL , 1830: 497 (New Guinea;
Caroline Ids.). Chromis caeruleus: Smith, 1960: 323*; 1961 : 568, No.
746dj Allen , 1975: 79* .
D XII,9-11; A II,9-11 ; P 18; LL 15-17; total GR 28-30. Depth 2.0-2.1 ;
head 3.0-3.4.
Attains 8 cm. Large aggregations typically feed on
plankton above rich beds of live coral in 2 - 12 m. Tropical
Indo-West Pacific, south to Inhaca. Usually occurs with the
similar coloured C. atripectoralis Welander & Schultz,
1951, which is distinguished by a black P axil but has not yet
been recorded from southern Africa.
219.13 Chromis dasygenys
(Fowler, 1935)
PLATES 84 & 86
Bluespotted chromis
Blouspikkel-chromis
Abudefduf dasygenys Fowler, 1935: 400 (Natal) ; Smith , SFSA No. 768*j
1960: 334* . Pomacentrus sindensis (non Day) : Regan , 1916: 169; Smith,
SFSA No. 755*.
D XIII,12-13 ; A II,12-13 ; P 19-20; LL 17-19; total GR 26-28. Depth
2.1-2.3; head 3.3-3.8.
Generally blue-grey with yellowish suffusion on upper
part of head and body. Scales with blue streaks and spots. A
small white spot on upper edge of tail base (fades rapidly
after death) . Attains 12 cm . Inhabits reefs, weed beds and
rocky shores in 2 - 12 m; common around breakwater at
674
mouth of Durban Harbour. Known only from Delagoa Bay
to Durban but probably extends further south .
219.13 Chromis dasygenys: 12.5 em (Inhaea Id.).
Chocolate dip
219.14 Chromis dimidiata
(Klunzinger, 1871)
PLATE 86
Sjokoladedip
Heliastes dimidiatus Klunzinger, 1871 : 529 (Red Sea) . Chromis dimidiatus: Smith , SFSA No. 746a*j 1960: 324*.
D XII ,12-13; A II ,12-13 ; P 16; LL 14-16; total GR27-29. Depth 2.0-2 .1;
head 3.1-3.3.
Attains 7 cm. Tropical Indian Ocean reefs down to at
least 30 m; Red Sea to Durban , common.
219.15 Chromis lepidolepis
Bleeker, 1877
PLATE 89
Brown chromis
Bruin chromis
Chromis /epidolepis Bleeker, 1877: 389 (Timor); Allen, 1975: 83*;
Smith , 1980: 180. Lepidochromis brunneus Smith , 1960: 328, PI. 32, Fig.
B (Baixo Pinda , Mozambique).
D XII,1l -12; A II ,1l-12; P 18; LL 17-18; total GR 27-31. Depth 2.0-2 .2;
head 3.3-3.4.
Generally brown with black streak along each C lobe.
Attains 8 cm . Tropical Indo-Pacific to Fiji Ids., south to
Durban; on reefs to at least 20 m.
219.15 Chromis /epido/epis: 7.5 em holotype of Lepidochromis brunneus
(N . Mozambique).
Generally pale grey-green grading to whitish on lower ~
of body; fins generally pale; C slightly dusky with broad
black bar across base; outer portion of P axil black. Attains
13 cm. Solitary individuals, pairs, or small aggregations
typically feed on plankton up to several metres above the
bottom in 30 - 50 m. Somalia south to Beira; also known
from Mauritius.
219.11 Chromis axillaris: 9 em SL (after Bruner & Arnam, 1970).
Blue puller
219.12 Chromis caerulea
(Cuvier, 1830)
PLATE 86
Blou trekker
Heliases caeruleus Cuvier, in Cuv . & VaL , 1830: 497 (New Guinea;
Caroline Ids.). Chromis caeruleus: Smith, 1960: 323*; 1961 : 568, No.
746dj Allen , 1975: 79* .
D XII,9-11; A II,9-11 ; P 18; LL 15-17; total GR 28-30. Depth 2.0-2.1 ;
head 3.0-3.4.
Attains 8 cm. Large aggregations typically feed on
plankton above rich beds of live coral in 2 - 12 m. Tropical
Indo-West Pacific, south to Inhaca. Usually occurs with the
similar coloured C. atripectoralis Welander & Schultz,
1951, which is distinguished by a black P axil but has not yet
been recorded from southern Africa.
219.13 Chromis dasygenys
(Fowler, 1935)
PLATES 84 & 86
Bluespotted chromis
Blouspikkel-chromis
Abudefduf dasygenys Fowler, 1935: 400 (Natal) ; Smith , SFSA No. 768*j
1960: 334* . Pomacentrus sindensis (non Day) : Regan , 1916: 169; Smith,
SFSA No. 755*.
D XIII,12-13 ; A II,12-13 ; P 19-20; LL 17-19; total GR 26-28. Depth
2.1-2.3; head 3.3-3.8.
Generally blue-grey with yellowish suffusion on upper
part of head and body. Scales with blue streaks and spots. A
small white spot on upper edge of tail base (fades rapidly
after death) . Attains 12 cm . Inhabits reefs, weed beds and
rocky shores in 2 - 12 m; common around breakwater at
674
mouth of Durban Harbour. Known only from Delagoa Bay
to Durban but probably extends further south .
219.13 Chromis dasygenys: 12.5 em (Inhaea Id.).
Chocolate dip
219.14 Chromis dimidiata
(Klunzinger, 1871)
PLATE 86
Sjokoladedip
Heliastes dimidiatus Klunzinger, 1871 : 529 (Red Sea) . Chromis dimidiatus: Smith , SFSA No. 746a*j 1960: 324*.
D XII ,12-13; A II ,12-13 ; P 16; LL 14-16; total GR27-29. Depth 2.0-2 .1;
head 3.1-3.3.
Attains 7 cm. Tropical Indian Ocean reefs down to at
least 30 m; Red Sea to Durban , common.
219.15 Chromis lepidolepis
Bleeker, 1877
PLATE 89
Brown chromis
Bruin chromis
Chromis /epidolepis Bleeker, 1877: 389 (Timor); Allen, 1975: 83*;
Smith , 1980: 180. Lepidochromis brunneus Smith , 1960: 328, PI. 32, Fig.
B (Baixo Pinda , Mozambique).
D XII,1l -12; A II ,1l-12; P 18; LL 17-18; total GR 27-31. Depth 2.0-2 .2;
head 3.3-3.4.
Generally brown with black streak along each C lobe.
Attains 8 cm . Tropical Indo-Pacific to Fiji Ids., south to
Durban; on reefs to at least 20 m.
219.15 Chromis /epido/epis: 7.5 em holotype of Lepidochromis brunneus
(N . Mozambique).