222: MUGILIDAE (MULLETS)
4a V longer than head minus snout; LS 29-32
4b V shorter than head minus snout; LS 33-52
5a Outer teeth tricuspid ; LS 43-52 ...
5b Outer teeth not tricuspid or absent .... .... .
L. alata
................... 5
. ... L. Iricuspidens
6
6a Scales on nape with numerous wavy grooves; LS 36-39 . L. dumerilii
6b Scales on nape with at most one groove; LS 33-35 or 44-50 ......... 7
7a LS 33-35 ......... ......................................... ....... L. macrolepis
7b LS 44-50 ............ ... ...... ...... ......... ... ........... ...... L. richardsonii
222.2 Liza alata
(Steindachner, 1892)
Diamond mullet
Diamant-harder
Mugil alata Steindachner. 1892: 133 (Madagascar). Mugil diadema Gilchrist & Thompson, 1911: 42 (Natal). Pleromugil diadema: Smith, SFSA
No. 881*. Liza alata: Smith , 1975: 64.
o IV+I,8; A III,9; P 16; LS 29-32; TR 11; adipose eyelids feeble;
tongue notched in front ; lips thin, lower edentate, upper with 2 rows
recurved teeth ; teeth on pterygoid and tongue , none on palatines and
vomer; preorbital slightly emarginate, denticulate and truncate behind.
Scaly process at 1st 0 base 6.0-6.7 in predorsal distance ; no P axillary
scale; 2nd 0 & A falcate; V about as long as P in adults, shorter in
juveniles. P folded forward reaches front of eye or beyond.
Scale margins dark, especially dorsally, giving the dull
grey body the characteristic reticulate ("diamond") appearance ; V bright yellow or orange. Attains 75 cm. Indo-West
Pacific, reaches Algoa Bay. A splendid fish, being a great
leaper and fine fighter.
222.2 Liza alala: 45 em (East London).
Groovy mullet
222.3 Liza dumerilii
(Steindachner, 1869)
PLATE 112
Keep-harder
Mugil dumerilii Steindachner, 1869: 959 (Senegambia). Mugil
canaliculatus Smith , 1935: 630, PI. 16, Fig. B (Knysna). Strializa
canaliculatus: Smith , SFSA No. 884*. Liza dumerilii: Smith, 1975: 64.
222.3 Liza dumerilii: 26 em (Knysna).
716
o IV+I ,8; A III ,9; P 16; LS 36-39; TR 13-14; scaly process at IstDbase
4.5-5.0 in predorsal distance ; in juveniles no P axillary scale, in adults
small and obscure; teeth feeble; palatines, vomer, pterygoid and tongue
dentate; no adipose eyelids; P folded forward reaches beyond eye.
Attains nearly 40 cm. Senegal to southern Angola; in our
area Breede River to Bazaruto Id.; common on our south
coast, especially in estuaries which juveniles use as nursery
areas. Does not leap easily, but fights well when hooked .
222.4 Liza luciae
(Penrith & Penrith, 1967)
St. Lucia mullet
St. Lucia-harder
Ellochelon luciae Penrith & Penrith, 1967: 69, Fig. I (St. Lucia
Estuary; Wallace & van der Est , 1975: 14. Liza luciae: Smith, 1975: 64.
o IV + 1,7; A III ,8; P 12-13; LS 26-28; TR 9; adipose eyelid small; P axillary scale small but larger than in L. vaigiensis.
Colour very similar to L. vaigiensis except that P is overall a light dusky grey. Attains 20 cm. Northern Transkei to
southern Mozambique, may occur further north.
222.4 Liza tuciae: 14 em SL holotype (St. Lucia; after Penrith & Penrith, 1967).
222.5 Liza macrolepis
(Smith, 1846)
Large-scale mullet
Grootskub-harder
Mugi/ macrolepis Smith, 1846: PI. 28 (South Africa "inhabits freshwater
lakes and rivers"). Mugil smithi Giinther , 1861: 477 (rivers and freshwater
lakes of the Cape). Liza macrolepis: Smith, SFSA No. 886*.
o IV+ 1,8; A III,9; P 16; LS 33-35; TR 12; teeth feeble; palatines edentate , teeth on vomer, pterygoids and tongue; no adipose eyelids; scaly
process at 1st 0 base 5-6 in pre dorsal distance ; P folded forward reaches
about to front of eye; P axillary scale hardly formed ; scales finely ctenoid .
222.5 Liza macrolepis: 24 em (Natal) .
4a V longer than head minus snout; LS 29-32
4b V shorter than head minus snout; LS 33-52
5a Outer teeth tricuspid ; LS 43-52 ...
5b Outer teeth not tricuspid or absent .... .... .
L. alata
................... 5
. ... L. Iricuspidens
6
6a Scales on nape with numerous wavy grooves; LS 36-39 . L. dumerilii
6b Scales on nape with at most one groove; LS 33-35 or 44-50 ......... 7
7a LS 33-35 ......... ......................................... ....... L. macrolepis
7b LS 44-50 ............ ... ...... ...... ......... ... ........... ...... L. richardsonii
222.2 Liza alata
(Steindachner, 1892)
Diamond mullet
Diamant-harder
Mugil alata Steindachner. 1892: 133 (Madagascar). Mugil diadema Gilchrist & Thompson, 1911: 42 (Natal). Pleromugil diadema: Smith, SFSA
No. 881*. Liza alata: Smith , 1975: 64.
o IV+I,8; A III,9; P 16; LS 29-32; TR 11; adipose eyelids feeble;
tongue notched in front ; lips thin, lower edentate, upper with 2 rows
recurved teeth ; teeth on pterygoid and tongue , none on palatines and
vomer; preorbital slightly emarginate, denticulate and truncate behind.
Scaly process at 1st 0 base 6.0-6.7 in predorsal distance ; no P axillary
scale; 2nd 0 & A falcate; V about as long as P in adults, shorter in
juveniles. P folded forward reaches front of eye or beyond.
Scale margins dark, especially dorsally, giving the dull
grey body the characteristic reticulate ("diamond") appearance ; V bright yellow or orange. Attains 75 cm. Indo-West
Pacific, reaches Algoa Bay. A splendid fish, being a great
leaper and fine fighter.
222.2 Liza alala: 45 em (East London).
Groovy mullet
222.3 Liza dumerilii
(Steindachner, 1869)
PLATE 112
Keep-harder
Mugil dumerilii Steindachner, 1869: 959 (Senegambia). Mugil
canaliculatus Smith , 1935: 630, PI. 16, Fig. B (Knysna). Strializa
canaliculatus: Smith , SFSA No. 884*. Liza dumerilii: Smith, 1975: 64.
222.3 Liza dumerilii: 26 em (Knysna).
716
o IV+I ,8; A III ,9; P 16; LS 36-39; TR 13-14; scaly process at IstDbase
4.5-5.0 in predorsal distance ; in juveniles no P axillary scale, in adults
small and obscure; teeth feeble; palatines, vomer, pterygoid and tongue
dentate; no adipose eyelids; P folded forward reaches beyond eye.
Attains nearly 40 cm. Senegal to southern Angola; in our
area Breede River to Bazaruto Id.; common on our south
coast, especially in estuaries which juveniles use as nursery
areas. Does not leap easily, but fights well when hooked .
222.4 Liza luciae
(Penrith & Penrith, 1967)
St. Lucia mullet
St. Lucia-harder
Ellochelon luciae Penrith & Penrith, 1967: 69, Fig. I (St. Lucia
Estuary; Wallace & van der Est , 1975: 14. Liza luciae: Smith, 1975: 64.
o IV + 1,7; A III ,8; P 12-13; LS 26-28; TR 9; adipose eyelid small; P axillary scale small but larger than in L. vaigiensis.
Colour very similar to L. vaigiensis except that P is overall a light dusky grey. Attains 20 cm. Northern Transkei to
southern Mozambique, may occur further north.
222.4 Liza tuciae: 14 em SL holotype (St. Lucia; after Penrith & Penrith, 1967).
222.5 Liza macrolepis
(Smith, 1846)
Large-scale mullet
Grootskub-harder
Mugi/ macrolepis Smith, 1846: PI. 28 (South Africa "inhabits freshwater
lakes and rivers"). Mugil smithi Giinther , 1861: 477 (rivers and freshwater
lakes of the Cape). Liza macrolepis: Smith, SFSA No. 886*.
o IV+ 1,8; A III,9; P 16; LS 33-35; TR 12; teeth feeble; palatines edentate , teeth on vomer, pterygoids and tongue; no adipose eyelids; scaly
process at 1st 0 base 5-6 in pre dorsal distance ; P folded forward reaches
about to front of eye; P axillary scale hardly formed ; scales finely ctenoid .
222.5 Liza macrolepis: 24 em (Natal) .