221: SCARIDAE (PARROTFISHES)
brown with a dull orange-red bar on each scale; 5 dark bars often present
on body; lips dull red-orange, the lower lip and front of upper lip edged
with dull blue-green; a dull blue-green band crossing front of snout, joining band from lower lip at corner of mouth and continuing faintly to eye;
dental plates white; C dark reddish, the upper and lower edges bluish
grey, with a dull green quadrangular enclosure in middle of fin. Terminal
male blue-green, the scales rimmed with salmon pink (except posteriorly,
where the salmon takes the form of a bar on each scale); postorbital head
and body anterior to a line from base of 9th D spine to A suffused with
purplish (nearly eliminating the green and salmon colour on some individuals); interorbital space and dorsal part of snout blue-green; upper lip
bright blue-green, enclosing an area of salmon; lower lip edged in bluegreen, this joining blue-green of upper lip and continuing as a band to
below eye; a quadrangular blue-green enclosure on opercle; a region of
deep yellow on lower cheek; C orange with blue upper and lower borders
and a green quadrangular enclosure in centre of fin, the upper and lower
edges of which extend as bands to rear margin of fin; dental plates white.
Attains at least 50 cm. Tropical and subtropical Indian
Ocean from India westwards, but not the Persian Gulf nor
Red Sea (where the related S. juscopurpureus (Klunzinger,
1871) is found). One specimen collected from Sodwana
Bay. A common shallow-water species, often seen grazing
on algal films on sand.
221.17 Searus seaber
Valenciennes, 1840
PLATES 106, 111 & 113
Fivesaddle parrotfish
Vyfsaal-papegaaivis
Scarus scaber Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1840: 239 (Mauritius);
Randall & Bruce, 1983: 31*. Callyodon oviceps (non Val.): Smith, SFSA
No. 821*; Callyodon scaber: Smith, 1956: 10*; 1959: 279*; 1961: 569, No.
821*; Smith & Smith, 1963: 41*. Callyodon lazulinus: Smith, 1956: 13*.
Callyodon cyanognathus: Smith, 1959: 279*.
Median predorsal scales 4-7; 4th or 5th usually largest; cheek scale rows
3, lower row with 1-4 scales; P 13-14; GR 45-55; lips almost cover dental
plates; no canines at rear of dental plates; C of sub adults (10 em SLorless)
truncate, emarginate in adult initial-phase fish and lunate in terminal
males (maximum concavity 2.0 in head). Colour: see Key above and
illustration; initial phase with head dorsally dark grey suffused with yellow, the ventral part whitish; V and median fins pale salmon pink; C ofterminal males blue with an orange band in each lobe.
Attains 37 cm. Islands of western Indian Ocean and coast
of east Africa south to Natal. A common shallow-water
species of protected coral reef areas.
221.18 Searus sordidus
Forsskal, 1775
PLATES 111 & 113
Bullethead parrotfish
KoeeHkop-papegaaivis
Scarus sordidus Forsskal, 1775: 30 (Red Sea); Randall & Bruce, 1983:
31 *. Callyodon sordidus: Smith, SFSA No. 822*. Callyodon erythrodon:
Smith, 1955: 19*. Xanothon erythrodon:Smith, 1959: 278; Smith & Smith,
1963: 41*. Xanothon bipallidus Smith, 1956: 5*; 1959: 278*; Smith &
Smith, 1963: 41 *. Xanothon margaritus: Smith & Smith, 1963: 41*.
Median predorsal scales 4 (rarely 3), progressively larger anteriorly;
cheek scale rows 2; P 14-16; GR 42-51; dental plates broadly exposed, C
truncate to slightly rounded. Initial phase dark brown, becoming red
714
around mouth; often with 2 longitudinal rows of 5 or 6 whitish spots on
side of body; a broad whitish bar containing a large round blackish spot
sometimes present on C peduncle and base offin, this and the white spots
in initial phase can be rapidly "turned on and off" by individual fish; dental
plates pale salmon. Terminal males green, the edges of scales salmon pink
except C peduncle which is nearly solid light green; chest and abdomen
pale salmon with indistinct green stripes; a broad pink to lavender band on
snout which narrows as it passes through lower part of eye; green bands
radiating from eye; dental plates green; C green, the upper and lower
edges blue with a submarginal salmon pink band; lesser longitudinal salmon pink streaks often present in central part of fin. In the Red Sea the
cheek is broadly orange, shading to yellow on opercle (in contrast to green
on Indian Ocean terminal male fish). Juveniles striped with dark brown
(as are a number of other species of Scarus).
Attains about 40 cm. Indo-Pacific, south to Natal, in a
variety of coral reef and rocky bottom habitats; often the
most common species of parrotfish.
221.19 Searus tricolor
Bleeker, 1847
PLATES 1 06, 111 & 113
Tricolour parrotfish
Driekleur-papegaaivis
Scarus tricolor Bleeker, 1847: 164 (Java); Randall & Bruce, 1983: 33*.
Callyodon mus Smith, 1956: 13; 1959: 279*. Callyodon pectoralis (non
Val.): Smith, 1956: 15*. Callyodon viridibusius: Smith, 1956; 13*. Callyodon urbanus: Smith, 1959: 279*. Callyodon lepidus Smith, 1959: 279*.
Median predorsal scales 5-7, subequal; cheek scale rows 3, the lowest
row with 3-6 scales; P 14 (rarely 15); GR 47-56; lips cover 213 or more of
dental plates; C of initial phase truncate to moderately emarginate, of terminal males deeply emarginate to lunate, maximum C concavity about 1.5
in head. Colour: see Key above; initial phase with head, chest and upper
half of body dark purplish to blackish; D blackish suffused with red; A
orange yellow. Terminal males green with a crescentic pale salmon pink
bar basally on each scale or with scales edged in this colour; head dull
lavender suffused with green above horizontal green band through lower
edge of eye, below green band orangish; dental plates dark blue-green; C
blue-green, each lobe with a submarginal lavender-pink band, which are
connected across basal scaled part of fin by a broad irregular bar of the
same colour.
Reaches 40 cm (at least in the Pacific). Occurs from the
central Pacific to east Africa, where it ranges south to Natal
(observed by the author off Sodwana Bay). Prefers outer
slope of exposed coral reefs.
Mullets
Family No. 222: MUGILIDAE
by M.M. Smith & J.L.B. Smith
Harders
Two widely separated dorsal fins, the first of 4 spines.
Body moderately elongate; head depressed, interorbital
broad and scaly; fairly large scales on body and head; no
LL, but some species with 1 or more mucous canals on dorsal body scales; snout obtuse and short; preorbital serrate.
In our subfamily, the Mugilinae, the small terminal mouth
is either toothless or has small teeth loosely attached to
brown with a dull orange-red bar on each scale; 5 dark bars often present
on body; lips dull red-orange, the lower lip and front of upper lip edged
with dull blue-green; a dull blue-green band crossing front of snout, joining band from lower lip at corner of mouth and continuing faintly to eye;
dental plates white; C dark reddish, the upper and lower edges bluish
grey, with a dull green quadrangular enclosure in middle of fin. Terminal
male blue-green, the scales rimmed with salmon pink (except posteriorly,
where the salmon takes the form of a bar on each scale); postorbital head
and body anterior to a line from base of 9th D spine to A suffused with
purplish (nearly eliminating the green and salmon colour on some individuals); interorbital space and dorsal part of snout blue-green; upper lip
bright blue-green, enclosing an area of salmon; lower lip edged in bluegreen, this joining blue-green of upper lip and continuing as a band to
below eye; a quadrangular blue-green enclosure on opercle; a region of
deep yellow on lower cheek; C orange with blue upper and lower borders
and a green quadrangular enclosure in centre of fin, the upper and lower
edges of which extend as bands to rear margin of fin; dental plates white.
Attains at least 50 cm. Tropical and subtropical Indian
Ocean from India westwards, but not the Persian Gulf nor
Red Sea (where the related S. juscopurpureus (Klunzinger,
1871) is found). One specimen collected from Sodwana
Bay. A common shallow-water species, often seen grazing
on algal films on sand.
221.17 Searus seaber
Valenciennes, 1840
PLATES 106, 111 & 113
Fivesaddle parrotfish
Vyfsaal-papegaaivis
Scarus scaber Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1840: 239 (Mauritius);
Randall & Bruce, 1983: 31*. Callyodon oviceps (non Val.): Smith, SFSA
No. 821*; Callyodon scaber: Smith, 1956: 10*; 1959: 279*; 1961: 569, No.
821*; Smith & Smith, 1963: 41*. Callyodon lazulinus: Smith, 1956: 13*.
Callyodon cyanognathus: Smith, 1959: 279*.
Median predorsal scales 4-7; 4th or 5th usually largest; cheek scale rows
3, lower row with 1-4 scales; P 13-14; GR 45-55; lips almost cover dental
plates; no canines at rear of dental plates; C of sub adults (10 em SLorless)
truncate, emarginate in adult initial-phase fish and lunate in terminal
males (maximum concavity 2.0 in head). Colour: see Key above and
illustration; initial phase with head dorsally dark grey suffused with yellow, the ventral part whitish; V and median fins pale salmon pink; C ofterminal males blue with an orange band in each lobe.
Attains 37 cm. Islands of western Indian Ocean and coast
of east Africa south to Natal. A common shallow-water
species of protected coral reef areas.
221.18 Searus sordidus
Forsskal, 1775
PLATES 111 & 113
Bullethead parrotfish
KoeeHkop-papegaaivis
Scarus sordidus Forsskal, 1775: 30 (Red Sea); Randall & Bruce, 1983:
31 *. Callyodon sordidus: Smith, SFSA No. 822*. Callyodon erythrodon:
Smith, 1955: 19*. Xanothon erythrodon:Smith, 1959: 278; Smith & Smith,
1963: 41*. Xanothon bipallidus Smith, 1956: 5*; 1959: 278*; Smith &
Smith, 1963: 41 *. Xanothon margaritus: Smith & Smith, 1963: 41*.
Median predorsal scales 4 (rarely 3), progressively larger anteriorly;
cheek scale rows 2; P 14-16; GR 42-51; dental plates broadly exposed, C
truncate to slightly rounded. Initial phase dark brown, becoming red
714
around mouth; often with 2 longitudinal rows of 5 or 6 whitish spots on
side of body; a broad whitish bar containing a large round blackish spot
sometimes present on C peduncle and base offin, this and the white spots
in initial phase can be rapidly "turned on and off" by individual fish; dental
plates pale salmon. Terminal males green, the edges of scales salmon pink
except C peduncle which is nearly solid light green; chest and abdomen
pale salmon with indistinct green stripes; a broad pink to lavender band on
snout which narrows as it passes through lower part of eye; green bands
radiating from eye; dental plates green; C green, the upper and lower
edges blue with a submarginal salmon pink band; lesser longitudinal salmon pink streaks often present in central part of fin. In the Red Sea the
cheek is broadly orange, shading to yellow on opercle (in contrast to green
on Indian Ocean terminal male fish). Juveniles striped with dark brown
(as are a number of other species of Scarus).
Attains about 40 cm. Indo-Pacific, south to Natal, in a
variety of coral reef and rocky bottom habitats; often the
most common species of parrotfish.
221.19 Searus tricolor
Bleeker, 1847
PLATES 1 06, 111 & 113
Tricolour parrotfish
Driekleur-papegaaivis
Scarus tricolor Bleeker, 1847: 164 (Java); Randall & Bruce, 1983: 33*.
Callyodon mus Smith, 1956: 13; 1959: 279*. Callyodon pectoralis (non
Val.): Smith, 1956: 15*. Callyodon viridibusius: Smith, 1956; 13*. Callyodon urbanus: Smith, 1959: 279*. Callyodon lepidus Smith, 1959: 279*.
Median predorsal scales 5-7, subequal; cheek scale rows 3, the lowest
row with 3-6 scales; P 14 (rarely 15); GR 47-56; lips cover 213 or more of
dental plates; C of initial phase truncate to moderately emarginate, of terminal males deeply emarginate to lunate, maximum C concavity about 1.5
in head. Colour: see Key above; initial phase with head, chest and upper
half of body dark purplish to blackish; D blackish suffused with red; A
orange yellow. Terminal males green with a crescentic pale salmon pink
bar basally on each scale or with scales edged in this colour; head dull
lavender suffused with green above horizontal green band through lower
edge of eye, below green band orangish; dental plates dark blue-green; C
blue-green, each lobe with a submarginal lavender-pink band, which are
connected across basal scaled part of fin by a broad irregular bar of the
same colour.
Reaches 40 cm (at least in the Pacific). Occurs from the
central Pacific to east Africa, where it ranges south to Natal
(observed by the author off Sodwana Bay). Prefers outer
slope of exposed coral reefs.
Mullets
Family No. 222: MUGILIDAE
by M.M. Smith & J.L.B. Smith
Harders
Two widely separated dorsal fins, the first of 4 spines.
Body moderately elongate; head depressed, interorbital
broad and scaly; fairly large scales on body and head; no
LL, but some species with 1 or more mucous canals on dorsal body scales; snout obtuse and short; preorbital serrate.
In our subfamily, the Mugilinae, the small terminal mouth
is either toothless or has small teeth loosely attached to