Attains 35 cm. Indo-West Pacific, most abundant mullet
in Mozambique and Natal, reaches Port Alfred, enters
freshwater. Makes a faint "cheeping" noise out of water.
222.6 Liza melinoptera
(Valenciennes, 1836)
Giantscale mullet
Reuseskub-harder
MugU melinoptera Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val.: 146, PI. 314 (Vanicola). Liza oligolepis (non Bleeker): Smith, SFSA No.885*. Valamugil
parmatus: Smith, 1975: 64.
D IV +1,8; A III,9; P 15; LS 26-28; TR 10; D spines strong; scaly
process at 1st Dbase 4.5 in predorsal distance; no P axillary scale, but
behind upper part of P base is a small scaly process. Second D
completely scaly with heavy basal scaly sheath; rear adipose eyelid
covers about ~ iris, and is better developed than front eyelid. Pre orbital
unnotched, bent slightly downward, edge strongly serrate. Teeth in upper
jaw, none in lower; all palate bones edentate, tongue toothed.
Attains 30 cm. Indo-West Pacific, rare in our area, occasional specimens reach Natal.
222.6 Liza melinoptera: 22 em (Natal).
222.7 Liza richardsonii
(Smith, 1846)
PLATE 112
Southern mullet
Suidelike harder
MugU richardsonii Smith, 1846: PI. 29, Fig. 1 (South Africa - Cape).
Liza ramada (non Risso): Smith, SFSA No. 887*. MugU richardsoni:
Smith, 1965: 22*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 101*; Wallace & van der Elst,
1975: 14; van der Elst & Wallace, 1976: 373*; van der Elst, 1981: 217*.
D IV + 1,8-9; A III,9; P 16-18; LS 44-50; TR 15-16; teeth feeble;
palatines, vomer, pterygoids and tongue dentate; no adipose eyelids;
scaly process at 1st Dbase 4-5 in predorsal distance; P folded forward
reaches about to eye; P axillary scale small or absent in adults; 2nd D scaly
only on front half.
222.7 Liza richardsonii: 24 em (Knysna).
222: MUGILIDAE (MULLETS)
Attains 40 cm. Abundant on southwest Cape coast to
Agulhas where many millions are landed annually. Experienced watchers on elevated coastal points cover the movement of shoals, which are caught by seine nets and pulled
ashore. On the west coast, floating gill nets are employed.
Known only from Kunene River to St. Lucia, but less abundant in warmer waters. Juveniles have been found in the
Berg River (west coast) to Kwelega near East London
(Wallace & van der Elst, 1975).
Striped mullet
222.8 Liza tricuspidens
(Smith,1935)
PLATE 112
Gestreepte harder
MugU tricuspidens Smith, 1935: 618, Fig. 10, PI. 17, Fig. A (Knysna);
Smith & Smith, 1966: 101*. HeteromugU tricuspidens: Smith, SFSA No.
882*; Edwards, 1971: 25. Liza tricuspidens: Wallace & van der Elst, 1975:
14; van der Elst & Wallace, 1976: 373*; Blaber, 1977: 261; van der Elst,
1981: 218*.
D IV + 1,8; A III,9; P 18; LS 43-52; TR 14-15; scaly process at 1st Dbase
about 5.5 in predorsal distance; in juveniles no P axillary scale, in adults
blunt and very short; tricuspid teeth in jaws larger than most other species;
palatines edentate; vomer, pterygoids and tongue with villiform teeth;
adipose eyelids feeble; P folded forward reaches beyond eye.
Attains 75 cm. Recorded by Franca & Ferreira (1966)
from Angola. Known only from Mossel Bay to Kosi
Estuary. Jumps further than M. cephalus with body more or
less straight and parallel with water. Large fishes are able to
rise 2.4 m and cover 12 m in one leap, which may be
repeated several times. They almost always leap over a
seine net. When occasionally hooked on prawn or pilchard
they fight magnificently. Flesh much esteemed.
222.8 Liza tricuspidens: 45 em (Knysna).
222.9 Liza vaigiensis
(Quay & Gaimard, 1825)
Squaretail mullet
Stompstert-harder
MugU vaigiensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1825: 337, PI. 59, Fig. 2 (Waigiou,
Indonesia). Ellochelon vaigiensis: Smith, SFSA No. 883*.
D IV+I,8; A III,8; P 16; LS 26-28; TR 10-12; head broad and flat;
adipose eyelids vestigial; scaly process at 1st Dbase 6-8 in predorsal distance; no P axillary scale visible. Adults without teeth; juveniles have scattered fine ciliate teeth on upper lip, very few on lower; tongue dentate;
scales large, ctenoid, each with a short mucous canal; preorbital notched,
717
in Mozambique and Natal, reaches Port Alfred, enters
freshwater. Makes a faint "cheeping" noise out of water.
222.6 Liza melinoptera
(Valenciennes, 1836)
Giantscale mullet
Reuseskub-harder
MugU melinoptera Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val.: 146, PI. 314 (Vanicola). Liza oligolepis (non Bleeker): Smith, SFSA No.885*. Valamugil
parmatus: Smith, 1975: 64.
D IV +1,8; A III,9; P 15; LS 26-28; TR 10; D spines strong; scaly
process at 1st Dbase 4.5 in predorsal distance; no P axillary scale, but
behind upper part of P base is a small scaly process. Second D
completely scaly with heavy basal scaly sheath; rear adipose eyelid
covers about ~ iris, and is better developed than front eyelid. Pre orbital
unnotched, bent slightly downward, edge strongly serrate. Teeth in upper
jaw, none in lower; all palate bones edentate, tongue toothed.
Attains 30 cm. Indo-West Pacific, rare in our area, occasional specimens reach Natal.
222.6 Liza melinoptera: 22 em (Natal).
222.7 Liza richardsonii
(Smith, 1846)
PLATE 112
Southern mullet
Suidelike harder
MugU richardsonii Smith, 1846: PI. 29, Fig. 1 (South Africa - Cape).
Liza ramada (non Risso): Smith, SFSA No. 887*. MugU richardsoni:
Smith, 1965: 22*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 101*; Wallace & van der Elst,
1975: 14; van der Elst & Wallace, 1976: 373*; van der Elst, 1981: 217*.
D IV + 1,8-9; A III,9; P 16-18; LS 44-50; TR 15-16; teeth feeble;
palatines, vomer, pterygoids and tongue dentate; no adipose eyelids;
scaly process at 1st Dbase 4-5 in predorsal distance; P folded forward
reaches about to eye; P axillary scale small or absent in adults; 2nd D scaly
only on front half.
222.7 Liza richardsonii: 24 em (Knysna).
222: MUGILIDAE (MULLETS)
Attains 40 cm. Abundant on southwest Cape coast to
Agulhas where many millions are landed annually. Experienced watchers on elevated coastal points cover the movement of shoals, which are caught by seine nets and pulled
ashore. On the west coast, floating gill nets are employed.
Known only from Kunene River to St. Lucia, but less abundant in warmer waters. Juveniles have been found in the
Berg River (west coast) to Kwelega near East London
(Wallace & van der Elst, 1975).
Striped mullet
222.8 Liza tricuspidens
(Smith,1935)
PLATE 112
Gestreepte harder
MugU tricuspidens Smith, 1935: 618, Fig. 10, PI. 17, Fig. A (Knysna);
Smith & Smith, 1966: 101*. HeteromugU tricuspidens: Smith, SFSA No.
882*; Edwards, 1971: 25. Liza tricuspidens: Wallace & van der Elst, 1975:
14; van der Elst & Wallace, 1976: 373*; Blaber, 1977: 261; van der Elst,
1981: 218*.
D IV + 1,8; A III,9; P 18; LS 43-52; TR 14-15; scaly process at 1st Dbase
about 5.5 in predorsal distance; in juveniles no P axillary scale, in adults
blunt and very short; tricuspid teeth in jaws larger than most other species;
palatines edentate; vomer, pterygoids and tongue with villiform teeth;
adipose eyelids feeble; P folded forward reaches beyond eye.
Attains 75 cm. Recorded by Franca & Ferreira (1966)
from Angola. Known only from Mossel Bay to Kosi
Estuary. Jumps further than M. cephalus with body more or
less straight and parallel with water. Large fishes are able to
rise 2.4 m and cover 12 m in one leap, which may be
repeated several times. They almost always leap over a
seine net. When occasionally hooked on prawn or pilchard
they fight magnificently. Flesh much esteemed.
222.8 Liza tricuspidens: 45 em (Knysna).
222.9 Liza vaigiensis
(Quay & Gaimard, 1825)
Squaretail mullet
Stompstert-harder
MugU vaigiensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1825: 337, PI. 59, Fig. 2 (Waigiou,
Indonesia). Ellochelon vaigiensis: Smith, SFSA No. 883*.
D IV+I,8; A III,8; P 16; LS 26-28; TR 10-12; head broad and flat;
adipose eyelids vestigial; scaly process at 1st Dbase 6-8 in predorsal distance; no P axillary scale visible. Adults without teeth; juveniles have scattered fine ciliate teeth on upper lip, very few on lower; tongue dentate;
scales large, ctenoid, each with a short mucous canal; preorbital notched,
717