18a Nape cirri absent; cirri present on both nostrils
and on eye (may be difficult to find); vomer
toothless....... .. ...... ..... .. ... ........ ... ....... .... .......... Alloblennius
18b Nape cirri present (may be difficult to find); cirri
present on rim of anterior nostril only; orbital
cirrus present or absent (obvious if present); vomer with
or without teeth ............................................................. 19
19a Conspicuous long cirrus present on eye; vomer
with teeth ............. .... .. ... ................. ....... ............. Hirculops
19b No cirrus on eye; vomer toothless .... ......... ..... Antennablennius
20a Gill opening extends ventrally only to about
lower end of P base ....... ..... ... .. .... ...... .... ... ..... .. Chalaroderrna
20b Gill opening unrestricted (gill membrane forms
free fold across ventral surface of head) .. ....... ... .. ..... .. ... .. ..... 21
21a Several cirri on top of head (does not include
supraorbital cirri) in specimens over 22 mm SL;
no canines posteriorly in upper jaw ... .... ...................... Scartella
21b No cirri on top of head (except supraorbital
cirri) ; canine tooth usually present at rear
end of upper jaw ........ .. .......... .......... .. .. .... .. ...... Parablennius
Genus Alloblennius Smith-Vaniz & Springer, 1971
Three species, 1 in our area.
Dwarf blenny
235.1 Alloblennius parvus
Springer & Spreitzer, 1978
Dwerg-blennie
Alloblennius parvus Springer & Spreitzer, 1978: 4, Fig. 1 (Grand Comoro Id.).
D XII,18-20; A II,20-21; P 14; V 1,3 (only 2 rays visible without dissection); upper jaw teeth 30-37; lower jaw teeth 25-28; no canines posteriorly
in either jaw; tiny simple cirrus on eye; simple cirrus on anterior nostril.
Body pale; small dark spot between 1st 2 D spines; males
with dark area under head and on P base. Attains about 26
mm SL. Known only from Grand Comoro Id. and 1 specimen from Sodwana Bay.
235.1 Afloblennius parvus: 2.5 cm SL male paratype (Comores; after Springer
& Spreitzer, 1978).
Genus Antennablennius Fowler, 1931
Revised by Bath (1983); 7 species, 2 in our area.
235: BLENNIIDAE (BLENNIES)
KEY TO SPECIES
la Nape cirri contiguous, long, much longer than
short nasal cirri ...................................................... A. bifi/urn
Ib Nape cirri separate, short, much shorter than
long nasal cirri .... .. .... .. ......................................... A. australis
235.2 Antennablennius australis
Fraser-Brunner, 1951
PLATE 114
Moustached rockskipper
Gesnorde klipspringer
Antennablennius hypenetes (non Klunzinger): Smith, SFSA No. 968*.
Antennablennius australis Fraser-Brunner, 1951 : 218* (Delagoa Bay);
Smith, 1953, No. 968*; 1959: 248*; Penrith & Penrith, 1972: 83*; Bath,
1983: 52* .
D XII-XIII,14-18; A 11,17-18; P 14; V 1,3. Differs from the Red SeaA.
hypenetes Klunzinger, 1871 in neither sex having a crest.
About 7 dusky bands on body. Attains 7 cm SL. From
Port Elizabeth to the Red Sea.
235.2 Antennablennius australis: 4 em (Inhaca Id.).
235.3 Antennablennius bifilum
(Gunther, 1861)
PLATE 114
Horned rockskipper
Horing-klipspringer
Blennius bifi/urn Gunther, 1861: 225 & 561 ("Cape of Good Hope").
Antennablennius bifi/urn: Smith, SFSA No. 967*; Penrith & Penrith, 1972:
82*. Croaltus bifi/urn: Smith, 1959: 247*; Bath, 1983: 54*,
D XI-XIII,17-20; A 11,17-21; P 14; V 1,3.
About 7 dark bands and numerous dark-margined pale
spots (blue in life) on body, particularly in males, less so in
females. Attains 7-8 cm SL. Port Alfred to Persian Gulf.
235.3 Antennablennius bifilum: 6.5 em (Transkei).
Genus Aspidontus Cuvier, 1835
Two species, 1 with 2 subspecies; both species (but only 1
subspecies) present in our area.
743
and on eye (may be difficult to find); vomer
toothless....... .. ...... ..... .. ... ........ ... ....... .... .......... Alloblennius
18b Nape cirri present (may be difficult to find); cirri
present on rim of anterior nostril only; orbital
cirrus present or absent (obvious if present); vomer with
or without teeth ............................................................. 19
19a Conspicuous long cirrus present on eye; vomer
with teeth ............. .... .. ... ................. ....... ............. Hirculops
19b No cirrus on eye; vomer toothless .... ......... ..... Antennablennius
20a Gill opening extends ventrally only to about
lower end of P base ....... ..... ... .. .... ...... .... ... ..... .. Chalaroderrna
20b Gill opening unrestricted (gill membrane forms
free fold across ventral surface of head) .. ....... ... .. ..... .. ... .. ..... 21
21a Several cirri on top of head (does not include
supraorbital cirri) in specimens over 22 mm SL;
no canines posteriorly in upper jaw ... .... ...................... Scartella
21b No cirri on top of head (except supraorbital
cirri) ; canine tooth usually present at rear
end of upper jaw ........ .. .......... .......... .. .. .... .. ...... Parablennius
Genus Alloblennius Smith-Vaniz & Springer, 1971
Three species, 1 in our area.
Dwarf blenny
235.1 Alloblennius parvus
Springer & Spreitzer, 1978
Dwerg-blennie
Alloblennius parvus Springer & Spreitzer, 1978: 4, Fig. 1 (Grand Comoro Id.).
D XII,18-20; A II,20-21; P 14; V 1,3 (only 2 rays visible without dissection); upper jaw teeth 30-37; lower jaw teeth 25-28; no canines posteriorly
in either jaw; tiny simple cirrus on eye; simple cirrus on anterior nostril.
Body pale; small dark spot between 1st 2 D spines; males
with dark area under head and on P base. Attains about 26
mm SL. Known only from Grand Comoro Id. and 1 specimen from Sodwana Bay.
235.1 Afloblennius parvus: 2.5 cm SL male paratype (Comores; after Springer
& Spreitzer, 1978).
Genus Antennablennius Fowler, 1931
Revised by Bath (1983); 7 species, 2 in our area.
235: BLENNIIDAE (BLENNIES)
KEY TO SPECIES
la Nape cirri contiguous, long, much longer than
short nasal cirri ...................................................... A. bifi/urn
Ib Nape cirri separate, short, much shorter than
long nasal cirri .... .. .... .. ......................................... A. australis
235.2 Antennablennius australis
Fraser-Brunner, 1951
PLATE 114
Moustached rockskipper
Gesnorde klipspringer
Antennablennius hypenetes (non Klunzinger): Smith, SFSA No. 968*.
Antennablennius australis Fraser-Brunner, 1951 : 218* (Delagoa Bay);
Smith, 1953, No. 968*; 1959: 248*; Penrith & Penrith, 1972: 83*; Bath,
1983: 52* .
D XII-XIII,14-18; A 11,17-18; P 14; V 1,3. Differs from the Red SeaA.
hypenetes Klunzinger, 1871 in neither sex having a crest.
About 7 dusky bands on body. Attains 7 cm SL. From
Port Elizabeth to the Red Sea.
235.2 Antennablennius australis: 4 em (Inhaca Id.).
235.3 Antennablennius bifilum
(Gunther, 1861)
PLATE 114
Horned rockskipper
Horing-klipspringer
Blennius bifi/urn Gunther, 1861: 225 & 561 ("Cape of Good Hope").
Antennablennius bifi/urn: Smith, SFSA No. 967*; Penrith & Penrith, 1972:
82*. Croaltus bifi/urn: Smith, 1959: 247*; Bath, 1983: 54*,
D XI-XIII,17-20; A 11,17-21; P 14; V 1,3.
About 7 dark bands and numerous dark-margined pale
spots (blue in life) on body, particularly in males, less so in
females. Attains 7-8 cm SL. Port Alfred to Persian Gulf.
235.3 Antennablennius bifilum: 6.5 em (Transkei).
Genus Aspidontus Cuvier, 1835
Two species, 1 with 2 subspecies; both species (but only 1
subspecies) present in our area.
743