235: BLENNIIDAE (BLENNIES)
Genus Omobranchus Ehrenberg, in Cuv. & Val., 1836
Twenty-one species; 6 in our area. Revised by Springer &
Gomon (1975).
KEY TO SPECIES
la Flap of skin posterolaterally on lower lip; bands on
body, if present, variably diffuse, incomplete, or
decreasing in intensity posteriorly and/or anteriorly ... ... ... .. ..... .. 2
Ib No flap of skin on lower lip; bands on body,
present, distinct, not decreasing in intensity
anteriorly or posteriorly ....... .......... ... ................ ..... O. banditus
2a Median pore in interorbital region usually
absent (98% of specimens); low fleshy crest
usually present on top of head of males more
than 3 cm SL; crest absent in females .... ... ..... .... ... .. O. fasciolatus
2b Median interorbital pore present (97% of specimens);
fleshy crest present or absent ......... .. .................. ... .... ... ..... .. . 3
3a Fleshy crest on top of head in specimens over
35 mm SL ... ... ... .............. ... .............. ... .... .. .......... ... O. woodi
3b Fleshy crest on top of head absent ........... ....... ... .................. .. 4
4a D spines usually 13 (85% of specimens); narrow,
dark oblique bands on body; males with numerous
small, dark spots on ventral surface of head and
dark stripes in segmented-ray part of D ........... ......... O. elongatus
4b D spines usually 12 (90% of specimes); bands on body,
if present, not inclined (horizontal stripes may be
present anteriorly); males without small dark spots
on ventral surface of head and without dark stripes in
segmented-ray part of D .... ....... .... .... .. ... .... ... ... .... ... .... .. ...... 5
5a Gill opening extends well below dorsal most Pray;
bi-pored LL tubes 0-4; longest V ray longer than
longest Pray .. ............ .. ...... ........ ............................. O. ferox
5b Gill opening not extending below dorsal most
Pray; bi-pored LL tubes 4-8; longest V ray shorter
than longest Pray ....................... ... .................... O. punctatus
235.25 Omobranchus banditus
Smith, 1959
Bandit blenny
Bandiet-blennie
Omobranchus striatus (non Jatzow & Lenz) : Smith, SFSA No. 955*.
Omobranchus banditus Smith, 1959: 232, PI. 14, Fig. D (Umgazi) ; 1961:
571, No. 955; Penrith & Penrith, 1972: 79; Springer, 1972: 13; Springer &
Gomon, 1975: 24*.
D XI-XIII, 19-21 = 31-33; A 11,21-23; gill opening above level ofPbase;
fleshy crest on top of head only in males> 3 cm SL; median interorbital
pore usually present (92% of specimens); LL tubes on body 5-9 .
235.25 Omobranehus banditus: 5 em SL male (Durban; drawn by S. L.
Chambers) .
750
Prominent dark spot above gill opening; several distinct,
dark bands present on body and upper head. Attains 6 cm
SL. Bazaruto to Transkei , small juveniles reach Port
Alfred. ?Mauritius.
235.26 Omobranchus elongatus
(Peters, 1855)
PLATE 114
Cloister blenny
Klooster-blennie
Petroscirtes elongatus Peters, 1855: 249; 1855b: 440 (Mozambique).
Omobranchus kallosoma (non Bleeker): Smith, SFSA No. 956*. Omobranchus elongatus: Smith, SFSA No. 958; 1959: 232*; 1961 : 571, No. 958;
Springer & Gomon , 1975: 28*.
D XII-XIV, 17-20 = 30-33; A 11,21-23; gill opening extends ventrally to
level of upper Yz of P base; no fleshy crest on top of head; median interorbital pore present in 98% of specimens; LL tubes on body 0-9 (0-2 in
southern African specimens).
Body with irregular bands; prominent stripes and spot in
middle of soft D of males. Attains 5 cm SL. Zanzibar south
to Inhaca, Mozambique, and east to New Guinea.
235.26 Omobranehus elongatus: top: 3.5 em SL female; bottom: 4 cm SL male
(drawn by J. R. Schroeder).
235.27 Omobranchus fasciolatus
(Valenciennes, 1836)
PLATE 115
Arab blenny
Arabiese blennie
Blennechis fasciolatus Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val. , 1836: 287 (Red
Sea). Omobranchus striatus: Smith, 1959: 232 *. Omobranchus mekranen235.27 Omobranehus faseiolatus: 4.5 cm SL male; head of 5 cm SL female
(drawn by J . R. Schroeder).
Genus Omobranchus Ehrenberg, in Cuv. & Val., 1836
Twenty-one species; 6 in our area. Revised by Springer &
Gomon (1975).
KEY TO SPECIES
la Flap of skin posterolaterally on lower lip; bands on
body, if present, variably diffuse, incomplete, or
decreasing in intensity posteriorly and/or anteriorly ... ... ... .. ..... .. 2
Ib No flap of skin on lower lip; bands on body,
present, distinct, not decreasing in intensity
anteriorly or posteriorly ....... .......... ... ................ ..... O. banditus
2a Median pore in interorbital region usually
absent (98% of specimens); low fleshy crest
usually present on top of head of males more
than 3 cm SL; crest absent in females .... ... ..... .... ... .. O. fasciolatus
2b Median interorbital pore present (97% of specimens);
fleshy crest present or absent ......... .. .................. ... .... ... ..... .. . 3
3a Fleshy crest on top of head in specimens over
35 mm SL ... ... ... .............. ... .............. ... .... .. .......... ... O. woodi
3b Fleshy crest on top of head absent ........... ....... ... .................. .. 4
4a D spines usually 13 (85% of specimens); narrow,
dark oblique bands on body; males with numerous
small, dark spots on ventral surface of head and
dark stripes in segmented-ray part of D ........... ......... O. elongatus
4b D spines usually 12 (90% of specimes); bands on body,
if present, not inclined (horizontal stripes may be
present anteriorly); males without small dark spots
on ventral surface of head and without dark stripes in
segmented-ray part of D .... ....... .... .... .. ... .... ... ... .... ... .... .. ...... 5
5a Gill opening extends well below dorsal most Pray;
bi-pored LL tubes 0-4; longest V ray longer than
longest Pray .. ............ .. ...... ........ ............................. O. ferox
5b Gill opening not extending below dorsal most
Pray; bi-pored LL tubes 4-8; longest V ray shorter
than longest Pray ....................... ... .................... O. punctatus
235.25 Omobranchus banditus
Smith, 1959
Bandit blenny
Bandiet-blennie
Omobranchus striatus (non Jatzow & Lenz) : Smith, SFSA No. 955*.
Omobranchus banditus Smith, 1959: 232, PI. 14, Fig. D (Umgazi) ; 1961:
571, No. 955; Penrith & Penrith, 1972: 79; Springer, 1972: 13; Springer &
Gomon, 1975: 24*.
D XI-XIII, 19-21 = 31-33; A 11,21-23; gill opening above level ofPbase;
fleshy crest on top of head only in males> 3 cm SL; median interorbital
pore usually present (92% of specimens); LL tubes on body 5-9 .
235.25 Omobranehus banditus: 5 em SL male (Durban; drawn by S. L.
Chambers) .
750
Prominent dark spot above gill opening; several distinct,
dark bands present on body and upper head. Attains 6 cm
SL. Bazaruto to Transkei , small juveniles reach Port
Alfred. ?Mauritius.
235.26 Omobranchus elongatus
(Peters, 1855)
PLATE 114
Cloister blenny
Klooster-blennie
Petroscirtes elongatus Peters, 1855: 249; 1855b: 440 (Mozambique).
Omobranchus kallosoma (non Bleeker): Smith, SFSA No. 956*. Omobranchus elongatus: Smith, SFSA No. 958; 1959: 232*; 1961 : 571, No. 958;
Springer & Gomon , 1975: 28*.
D XII-XIV, 17-20 = 30-33; A 11,21-23; gill opening extends ventrally to
level of upper Yz of P base; no fleshy crest on top of head; median interorbital pore present in 98% of specimens; LL tubes on body 0-9 (0-2 in
southern African specimens).
Body with irregular bands; prominent stripes and spot in
middle of soft D of males. Attains 5 cm SL. Zanzibar south
to Inhaca, Mozambique, and east to New Guinea.
235.26 Omobranehus elongatus: top: 3.5 em SL female; bottom: 4 cm SL male
(drawn by J. R. Schroeder).
235.27 Omobranchus fasciolatus
(Valenciennes, 1836)
PLATE 115
Arab blenny
Arabiese blennie
Blennechis fasciolatus Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val. , 1836: 287 (Red
Sea). Omobranchus striatus: Smith, 1959: 232 *. Omobranchus mekranen235.27 Omobranehus faseiolatus: 4.5 cm SL male; head of 5 cm SL female
(drawn by J . R. Schroeder).