235: BLENNIIDAE (BLENNIES)
The dark midlateral stripe, if present, is not broken into
segments in adults, but may appear as 5 or 6 bars in some
juveniles. Adults with 2 brilliant blue stripes on body.
Attains 9 cm SL. Widely distributed in Indo-Pacific; south
to Knysna.
235.38 P/agiotremus tapeinosoma
(Bleeker, 1857)
PLATE 115
Piano blenny
Klavier-blennie
Petroskirtes tapeinosoma Bleeker, 1857: 64 (Amboina). Aspidontus
tapeinosoma: Smith, SFSA No. 963*. Runula tapeinosoma: Smith, 1959:
234*; Penrith & Penrith, 1972: 83* . Plagiotremus (Runula) tapeinosoma:
Smith-Vaniz, 1976: 138*.
D VII-IX,34-39; A II,28-33; P 11-13; V 1,3.
The dark midlateral body stripe is broken into about 20
oblongish segments. Attains 12 cm SL. Widely distributed
in Indo-Pacific; south to False Bay, Cape.
235.38 Plagiotremus tapeinosoma: 6.5 em SL male (after Smith-Vaniz. 1976).
Genus Sa/arias Cuvier, 1816
About 10 species; 1 in our area.
235.39 Sa/arias fasciatus
(Bloch, 1786)
PLATE 115
Jewelled rockskipper
Juweel klipspringer
Blennius fasciatus Bloch, 1786: 110, PI. 162, Fig. I (East Indies).
Salarias fasciatus: Smith, 1959: 241*.
D XII-18-20; A II,19-21; P 14; V 1,3 (innermost ray not discernible
without dissection); bushy cirri present on nape, eye and nostril ; D not
notched.
.
Both sexes with numerous pale spots, dark streaks
anteriorly, and indications of several dusky bands. Attains
10 cm SL. Widely distributed in Indo-Pacific; from Bazaruto
northwards.
Genus Scartella Jordan, 1886
Five species; 1 in our area.
754
235.40 Scartella emarginata
(Gunther, 1861)
Maned blenny
Kamkop-blennie
Blennius emarginatus Gunther, 1861: 224 (no locality). Blennius cristatus (non Linnaeus): Smith, SFSA No. 950*; Penrith & Penrith, 1972:
70* . Blennius steindachneri: Smith, 1959: 230*; 1961: 571, No. 950. Scartella emarginata: Bath, 1977: 211*.
D XI-XIII,12-16; A 11,14-18; P 14; V 1,3. Nape cirri do not appear until
about 2 em SL; orbital and nasal cirri consisting of several short filaments;
LL with 13-18 dorsoventrally paired branches anteriorly, descending to
midline of body and continuing as separate short tubes to C base.
Body with 5-6 dusky bands; fine dark spots sprinkled over
body in South African specimens and some Atlantic specimens. Attains 10 cm SL. Southern Angola to India.
235.40 Scartella emarginata: 8 em male (Transkei).
Genus Xiphasia Swainson, 1839
Two species, both in our area; notable for their eel-like
shape. Total vertebrae 113-135.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Total P rays (both fins) 20-22; D spines 11 ........... .. . X. matsubarai
Ib Total Prays 24-28; D spines 13-14 .............. ... .............. X. setifer
Q?!T7I . . ,.,...1 a Xiphasia setiter; 1 b Xiphasia matsubarai (after Smith-Vaniz. 1976).
235.41 Xiphasia matsubarai
Okada & Suzuki, 1952
Japanese snakeblenny
Japanse slangblennie
Xiphasia matsubarai Okada & Suzuki, 1952: 75* (Sea of Japan, off
Owashi); Smith-Vaniz, 1976: 72*.
D XI,99-104; A II,97-104; P 10-11; V 1,3.
The dark midlateral stripe, if present, is not broken into
segments in adults, but may appear as 5 or 6 bars in some
juveniles. Adults with 2 brilliant blue stripes on body.
Attains 9 cm SL. Widely distributed in Indo-Pacific; south
to Knysna.
235.38 P/agiotremus tapeinosoma
(Bleeker, 1857)
PLATE 115
Piano blenny
Klavier-blennie
Petroskirtes tapeinosoma Bleeker, 1857: 64 (Amboina). Aspidontus
tapeinosoma: Smith, SFSA No. 963*. Runula tapeinosoma: Smith, 1959:
234*; Penrith & Penrith, 1972: 83* . Plagiotremus (Runula) tapeinosoma:
Smith-Vaniz, 1976: 138*.
D VII-IX,34-39; A II,28-33; P 11-13; V 1,3.
The dark midlateral body stripe is broken into about 20
oblongish segments. Attains 12 cm SL. Widely distributed
in Indo-Pacific; south to False Bay, Cape.
235.38 Plagiotremus tapeinosoma: 6.5 em SL male (after Smith-Vaniz. 1976).
Genus Sa/arias Cuvier, 1816
About 10 species; 1 in our area.
235.39 Sa/arias fasciatus
(Bloch, 1786)
PLATE 115
Jewelled rockskipper
Juweel klipspringer
Blennius fasciatus Bloch, 1786: 110, PI. 162, Fig. I (East Indies).
Salarias fasciatus: Smith, 1959: 241*.
D XII-18-20; A II,19-21; P 14; V 1,3 (innermost ray not discernible
without dissection); bushy cirri present on nape, eye and nostril ; D not
notched.
.
Both sexes with numerous pale spots, dark streaks
anteriorly, and indications of several dusky bands. Attains
10 cm SL. Widely distributed in Indo-Pacific; from Bazaruto
northwards.
Genus Scartella Jordan, 1886
Five species; 1 in our area.
754
235.40 Scartella emarginata
(Gunther, 1861)
Maned blenny
Kamkop-blennie
Blennius emarginatus Gunther, 1861: 224 (no locality). Blennius cristatus (non Linnaeus): Smith, SFSA No. 950*; Penrith & Penrith, 1972:
70* . Blennius steindachneri: Smith, 1959: 230*; 1961: 571, No. 950. Scartella emarginata: Bath, 1977: 211*.
D XI-XIII,12-16; A 11,14-18; P 14; V 1,3. Nape cirri do not appear until
about 2 em SL; orbital and nasal cirri consisting of several short filaments;
LL with 13-18 dorsoventrally paired branches anteriorly, descending to
midline of body and continuing as separate short tubes to C base.
Body with 5-6 dusky bands; fine dark spots sprinkled over
body in South African specimens and some Atlantic specimens. Attains 10 cm SL. Southern Angola to India.
235.40 Scartella emarginata: 8 em male (Transkei).
Genus Xiphasia Swainson, 1839
Two species, both in our area; notable for their eel-like
shape. Total vertebrae 113-135.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Total P rays (both fins) 20-22; D spines 11 ........... .. . X. matsubarai
Ib Total Prays 24-28; D spines 13-14 .............. ... .............. X. setifer
Q?!T7I . . ,.,...1 a Xiphasia setiter; 1 b Xiphasia matsubarai (after Smith-Vaniz. 1976).
235.41 Xiphasia matsubarai
Okada & Suzuki, 1952
Japanese snakeblenny
Japanse slangblennie
Xiphasia matsubarai Okada & Suzuki, 1952: 75* (Sea of Japan, off
Owashi); Smith-Vaniz, 1976: 72*.
D XI,99-104; A II,97-104; P 10-11; V 1,3.