Genus Valamugil Smith, 1948
Lips thin; pterygoids and tongue dentate; scales cycloid
with membranous edge. An Indo-Pacific genus with 4
species in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Adipose eyelids well developed ............................................ 2
1b Adipose eyelids feeble or absent............... ................... ......... 3
2a P folded forward barely reaches eye ......................... V. robustus
2b P folded forward reaches beyond eye ....................... V. cunnesius
3a 2nd D & A falcate, longer than V; vomer and
palatines edentate; LS 33-36 ................................. V. buchanani
3b 2nd D & A not falcate, shorter than V; vomer and
palatines with teeth; LS 38-42 ..................................... V. seheli
222.12 Valamugil buchanani
(Bleeker, 1853)
PLATE 112
Bluetail mullet
Bloustert-harder
Mugil buchanani Bleeker, 1853: 99 (Hooghly River, India). Valamugil
buchanani: Smith, SFSA No. 888*.
D IV+I,8; A III,9; P 17-18; LS 33-36; TR 11-13; scaly process at 1st D
base 4.0-4.5 in predorsal distance. P folded forward reaches beyond eye; P
axillary scale, 2.8-5.2 in head. No adipose eyelids. Lower margin preorbital slightly bent, not or slightly notched, end truncate, lower and rear edge
serrate, scaly. Very young with minute villiform teeth in single row in
jaws; none visible in older specimens; palatines and vomer edentate,
pterygoids and tongue with teeth.
Characterised by the brilliant blue tail. Once an explosion that caused many hundreds to leap out of the water at
Ponte Torres (Inhaca Id.) produced a huge shimmering
sheet of blue. Attains 100 cm. Widespread and abundant in
warm waters of Indo-West Pacific south to Knysna.
222.12 Valamugil buchanani: 56 cm (Algoa Say).
222.13 Valamugil cunnesius
(Valenciennes, 1836)
Longarm mullet
Langarm-harder
Mugil cunnesius Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1836: 114 (Moluccas,
Malabar, Bombay). Mugil strongylocephalus: Smith, SFSA No. 879*;
Wallace & van der Elst, 1975: 12. Valamugil cunnesius: Smith, 1975: 64;
Blaber & Whitfield, 1977: 279; van der Elst, 1981: 220'.
222: MUGILIDAE (MULLETS)
D IV+I,8; A III,9; P 15-16; LS 33-36; TR 11-12; scaly process at 1st D
base 4.0-4.5 in predorsal distance; a few small secondary elongate cycloid
scales on nape scales; P axillary scale 3.0-3.5 in head; maxilla exposed
when mouth shut. Minute villiform teeth on both lips, upper more sparse;
none on palatines but vomer, pterygoids and tongue dentate.
Attains 41 cm. Indo-West Pacific, occasionally reaches
Transkei; juveniles from 5 cm up occur in estuaries along
the Natal coast.
222.13 Valamugil cunnesius: 20 em (S. Mozambique).
222.14 Valamugil robustus
(Gunther, 1861)
Robust mullet
Wilde harder
Mugil robustus Giinther, 1861: 432 (Madagascar); Smith, SFSA No.
878*. Valamugil robustus: Blaber & Whitfield, 1977: 279.
D IV + 1,8; A III,9; P 15; LS 37-39; TR 12-13; scaly process at 1st Dbase
4.0-4.5 in predorsal distance; P axillary scale 3.5 in head; adipose eyelids
fragile and appear to shrink on preservation; preorbital margin
unnotched, sharply bent over angle of mouth, end slightly convex,
scarcely serrate. No teeth in jaws, on tongue or palate bones. Soft D & A
completely scaly.
Bright silvery, dusky above, sometimes golden opercular
spot; traces of faint stripes along scale rows; P axillary spot
distinct. Attains 30 cm. Transkei to Inhambane and
Madagascar, common in southern Mozambique; in
estuaries.
222.14 Valamugil rabustus: 24 em (Natal).
222.15 Valamugil seheli
(Forsskal, 1775)
Bluespot mullet
Bloukol-harder
Mugil crenilabis seheli Forsskal, 1775: 14, 73 (Lohaja, Red Sea).
Valamugil seheli: Smith, SFSA No. 889*.
D IV + 1,8; A III,9; P 18; LS 38-42; TR 12-14; scaly process at 1st Dbase
4.2-5.0 in predorsal distance; P axillary scale 3.2 in head; no teeth in lips or
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Lips thin; pterygoids and tongue dentate; scales cycloid
with membranous edge. An Indo-Pacific genus with 4
species in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Adipose eyelids well developed ............................................ 2
1b Adipose eyelids feeble or absent............... ................... ......... 3
2a P folded forward barely reaches eye ......................... V. robustus
2b P folded forward reaches beyond eye ....................... V. cunnesius
3a 2nd D & A falcate, longer than V; vomer and
palatines edentate; LS 33-36 ................................. V. buchanani
3b 2nd D & A not falcate, shorter than V; vomer and
palatines with teeth; LS 38-42 ..................................... V. seheli
222.12 Valamugil buchanani
(Bleeker, 1853)
PLATE 112
Bluetail mullet
Bloustert-harder
Mugil buchanani Bleeker, 1853: 99 (Hooghly River, India). Valamugil
buchanani: Smith, SFSA No. 888*.
D IV+I,8; A III,9; P 17-18; LS 33-36; TR 11-13; scaly process at 1st D
base 4.0-4.5 in predorsal distance. P folded forward reaches beyond eye; P
axillary scale, 2.8-5.2 in head. No adipose eyelids. Lower margin preorbital slightly bent, not or slightly notched, end truncate, lower and rear edge
serrate, scaly. Very young with minute villiform teeth in single row in
jaws; none visible in older specimens; palatines and vomer edentate,
pterygoids and tongue with teeth.
Characterised by the brilliant blue tail. Once an explosion that caused many hundreds to leap out of the water at
Ponte Torres (Inhaca Id.) produced a huge shimmering
sheet of blue. Attains 100 cm. Widespread and abundant in
warm waters of Indo-West Pacific south to Knysna.
222.12 Valamugil buchanani: 56 cm (Algoa Say).
222.13 Valamugil cunnesius
(Valenciennes, 1836)
Longarm mullet
Langarm-harder
Mugil cunnesius Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1836: 114 (Moluccas,
Malabar, Bombay). Mugil strongylocephalus: Smith, SFSA No. 879*;
Wallace & van der Elst, 1975: 12. Valamugil cunnesius: Smith, 1975: 64;
Blaber & Whitfield, 1977: 279; van der Elst, 1981: 220'.
222: MUGILIDAE (MULLETS)
D IV+I,8; A III,9; P 15-16; LS 33-36; TR 11-12; scaly process at 1st D
base 4.0-4.5 in predorsal distance; a few small secondary elongate cycloid
scales on nape scales; P axillary scale 3.0-3.5 in head; maxilla exposed
when mouth shut. Minute villiform teeth on both lips, upper more sparse;
none on palatines but vomer, pterygoids and tongue dentate.
Attains 41 cm. Indo-West Pacific, occasionally reaches
Transkei; juveniles from 5 cm up occur in estuaries along
the Natal coast.
222.13 Valamugil cunnesius: 20 em (S. Mozambique).
222.14 Valamugil robustus
(Gunther, 1861)
Robust mullet
Wilde harder
Mugil robustus Giinther, 1861: 432 (Madagascar); Smith, SFSA No.
878*. Valamugil robustus: Blaber & Whitfield, 1977: 279.
D IV + 1,8; A III,9; P 15; LS 37-39; TR 12-13; scaly process at 1st Dbase
4.0-4.5 in predorsal distance; P axillary scale 3.5 in head; adipose eyelids
fragile and appear to shrink on preservation; preorbital margin
unnotched, sharply bent over angle of mouth, end slightly convex,
scarcely serrate. No teeth in jaws, on tongue or palate bones. Soft D & A
completely scaly.
Bright silvery, dusky above, sometimes golden opercular
spot; traces of faint stripes along scale rows; P axillary spot
distinct. Attains 30 cm. Transkei to Inhambane and
Madagascar, common in southern Mozambique; in
estuaries.
222.14 Valamugil rabustus: 24 em (Natal).
222.15 Valamugil seheli
(Forsskal, 1775)
Bluespot mullet
Bloukol-harder
Mugil crenilabis seheli Forsskal, 1775: 14, 73 (Lohaja, Red Sea).
Valamugil seheli: Smith, SFSA No. 889*.
D IV + 1,8; A III,9; P 18; LS 38-42; TR 12-14; scaly process at 1st Dbase
4.2-5.0 in predorsal distance; P axillary scale 3.2 in head; no teeth in lips or
719