lOa Teeth on vomer ................................................... Pavoclinus
lOb No teeth on vomer .......................................................... 11
lla No notch between 3rd and 4th D spines; D originates
above hind margin of eye; C 13 ............................ Smithichthys
lIb Deep notch between 3rd and 4th D spines; D
originates above rear margin of preopercle; C 11 ....... Fucomimus
Genus Blennioclinus Gill, 1860
Body slightly compressed, with small embedded scales;
fins naked. Deep notch in D margin before the rays, anterior
rays longer than spines. No supraorbital tentacle; front LL
with double pores; vomer dentate. V 1,3.
Two species.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a D soft-rays 8-11; membrane shallowly notched
between 3rd and 4th D spines ........................ B. brachycephalus
1b D soft-rays 6-7; deep notch in membrane between
widely spaced 3rd and 4th D spines ............................... B. stella
237.1 Blennioclinus brachycephalus
(Valenciennes, 1836)
PLATE 117
Lace klipfish
Galon-klipvis
Clinus brachycephalus Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1836: 371 (Cape
of Good Hope). Blennioclinus brachycephalus: Smith, 1946: 543; SFSA
No. 995*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 108*; Penrith. 1969: 88*.
D XXVI-XXX,8-11; A 11,19-25; P 12-15; V 1,3, inner ray short and
slender; GR (2-3)+(3-5), vertebrae 17+(28-30); LL with about 30-35
multiple pores in front. Clusters of 3-4 cirri at tips of most D spines.
Belly cream or yellow with dark band from isthmus towards vent having symmetrical branches running up into
mottled area on sides; a red-edged, bright blue semicircular
spot behind P. Juveniles plain dark red with silver "bubbles" along side. Fades slowly in preservative to uniform
yellowish. Attains 15 cm. An isolated collection from
Liideritzbucht, then off Melkbosch beach (northwest coast
of Cape Peninsula) to the Kei River; common east of Cape
Point in pools on the open coast containing pebbles, sea
urchins and sea anemones.
237.2 Blennioclinus stella
Smith,1946
PLATE 117
Silverbubble klipfish
Silwerblasie-klipvis
Blennioclinus stella Smith, 1946: 543, Fig. 4 (Xora Mouth); SFSA No.
994*; Penrith, 1969: 90*; Winterbottom, 1976: 179.
D XXIV-XXVIII,6-7; A 11,19-21; P 12; V 1,3, inner ray minute; GR
(1-2)+(4-6); vertebrae 13+(25-27); LL with 20-25 vertical pairs of pores
in front; clusters of cirri at tips of 1st 3 D spines.
Colour variable: green, brown, red and orange mottled
with silver "bubbles". Preserved: uniform yellowish. The
237: CLINIDAE (KLIPFISHES)
smallest of our clinids, mature at 38 mm and reaches 50 mm
in length; sub- and intertidal from Algoa Bay to north of
Durban, common sub tidally down to 10 m along the Transkei coast.
Genus Blennophis Swainson, 1839
Swainson erected this genus for a clinid with an elongate
eel-like body, which wriggles among rocks and weeds of
tide pools. D without crest, spines low and even, without
cirri at tips; body, cheek, upper edge of opercle and bases of
D, A and C scaly; supraorbital tentacle with flat stalk and
fringe of cirri at tip.
Two species from Liideritzbucht to East London.
KEY TO SPECIES
la V 1,3, inner ray stout; D spines 46-50; no longitudinal
body stripes in live specimens ............................... B. anguillaris
Ib V 1,2-3, inner ray minute or absent; D spines 40-45;
live specimens with longitudinal stripes fading on
preservation ......................................................... B. striatus
237.3 Blennophis anguil/aris
(Valenciennes, 1836)
PLATE 117
Snaky klipfish
Siang-klipvis
Blennius rubescens Lichtenstein, 1823: 117 (Cape of Good Hope;
nomen oblitum). Clinus anguillaris Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1836:
390 ("Rade du Cap"). Blennophis anguillaris: Smith, 1946: 539; SFSA No.
980*. Blennophis rubescens: Smith, 1962: 40. Blennophis rubellus: Smith
& Smith, 1966: 109* (error for rubescens). Clinus (Blennophis) anguillaris: Penrith, 1969: 22*.
D XLVI-L,2-4; A 11,33-37; P 13-14; V 1,3, rays subequal; GR (2-3)+
(5-7); vertebrae 18+(38-40); LL 20-22, vertical pairs of pores in front.
Brown or red with large black blotch below 1st 3 D spines
and numerous black dots round eye and on body; juveniles
nearly black with red margins to D, A and C; very small
juveniles plain purple-black with white C. Preserved uniform
buff. Attains 30 cm. In pools and subtidally from Liideritzbucht to East London, more common in the kelp of the west
coast especially north of Lamberts Bay.
237.4 Blennophis striatus
(Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908)
PLATE 117
Striped klipfish
Gestreepte klipvis
Clinus striatus Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908: 134 (False Bay). Blennophis striatus: Smith, 1946: 539; SFSA No. 981*; Smith & Smith, 1966:
109*. Clinus (Blennophis) striatus: Penrith, 1969: 24.
D XL-XLV,2-4; A 11,28-31; P 12-13; V 1,2-3; GR (2-3)+(7-8); vertebrae
17+(34-35). LL with about 22 double pores in front part.
Adults have only faint white longitudinal stripes with
light-edged dark ocellus on shoulder; juveniles whitish with
759
lOb No teeth on vomer .......................................................... 11
lla No notch between 3rd and 4th D spines; D originates
above hind margin of eye; C 13 ............................ Smithichthys
lIb Deep notch between 3rd and 4th D spines; D
originates above rear margin of preopercle; C 11 ....... Fucomimus
Genus Blennioclinus Gill, 1860
Body slightly compressed, with small embedded scales;
fins naked. Deep notch in D margin before the rays, anterior
rays longer than spines. No supraorbital tentacle; front LL
with double pores; vomer dentate. V 1,3.
Two species.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a D soft-rays 8-11; membrane shallowly notched
between 3rd and 4th D spines ........................ B. brachycephalus
1b D soft-rays 6-7; deep notch in membrane between
widely spaced 3rd and 4th D spines ............................... B. stella
237.1 Blennioclinus brachycephalus
(Valenciennes, 1836)
PLATE 117
Lace klipfish
Galon-klipvis
Clinus brachycephalus Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1836: 371 (Cape
of Good Hope). Blennioclinus brachycephalus: Smith, 1946: 543; SFSA
No. 995*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 108*; Penrith. 1969: 88*.
D XXVI-XXX,8-11; A 11,19-25; P 12-15; V 1,3, inner ray short and
slender; GR (2-3)+(3-5), vertebrae 17+(28-30); LL with about 30-35
multiple pores in front. Clusters of 3-4 cirri at tips of most D spines.
Belly cream or yellow with dark band from isthmus towards vent having symmetrical branches running up into
mottled area on sides; a red-edged, bright blue semicircular
spot behind P. Juveniles plain dark red with silver "bubbles" along side. Fades slowly in preservative to uniform
yellowish. Attains 15 cm. An isolated collection from
Liideritzbucht, then off Melkbosch beach (northwest coast
of Cape Peninsula) to the Kei River; common east of Cape
Point in pools on the open coast containing pebbles, sea
urchins and sea anemones.
237.2 Blennioclinus stella
Smith,1946
PLATE 117
Silverbubble klipfish
Silwerblasie-klipvis
Blennioclinus stella Smith, 1946: 543, Fig. 4 (Xora Mouth); SFSA No.
994*; Penrith, 1969: 90*; Winterbottom, 1976: 179.
D XXIV-XXVIII,6-7; A 11,19-21; P 12; V 1,3, inner ray minute; GR
(1-2)+(4-6); vertebrae 13+(25-27); LL with 20-25 vertical pairs of pores
in front; clusters of cirri at tips of 1st 3 D spines.
Colour variable: green, brown, red and orange mottled
with silver "bubbles". Preserved: uniform yellowish. The
237: CLINIDAE (KLIPFISHES)
smallest of our clinids, mature at 38 mm and reaches 50 mm
in length; sub- and intertidal from Algoa Bay to north of
Durban, common sub tidally down to 10 m along the Transkei coast.
Genus Blennophis Swainson, 1839
Swainson erected this genus for a clinid with an elongate
eel-like body, which wriggles among rocks and weeds of
tide pools. D without crest, spines low and even, without
cirri at tips; body, cheek, upper edge of opercle and bases of
D, A and C scaly; supraorbital tentacle with flat stalk and
fringe of cirri at tip.
Two species from Liideritzbucht to East London.
KEY TO SPECIES
la V 1,3, inner ray stout; D spines 46-50; no longitudinal
body stripes in live specimens ............................... B. anguillaris
Ib V 1,2-3, inner ray minute or absent; D spines 40-45;
live specimens with longitudinal stripes fading on
preservation ......................................................... B. striatus
237.3 Blennophis anguil/aris
(Valenciennes, 1836)
PLATE 117
Snaky klipfish
Siang-klipvis
Blennius rubescens Lichtenstein, 1823: 117 (Cape of Good Hope;
nomen oblitum). Clinus anguillaris Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1836:
390 ("Rade du Cap"). Blennophis anguillaris: Smith, 1946: 539; SFSA No.
980*. Blennophis rubescens: Smith, 1962: 40. Blennophis rubellus: Smith
& Smith, 1966: 109* (error for rubescens). Clinus (Blennophis) anguillaris: Penrith, 1969: 22*.
D XLVI-L,2-4; A 11,33-37; P 13-14; V 1,3, rays subequal; GR (2-3)+
(5-7); vertebrae 18+(38-40); LL 20-22, vertical pairs of pores in front.
Brown or red with large black blotch below 1st 3 D spines
and numerous black dots round eye and on body; juveniles
nearly black with red margins to D, A and C; very small
juveniles plain purple-black with white C. Preserved uniform
buff. Attains 30 cm. In pools and subtidally from Liideritzbucht to East London, more common in the kelp of the west
coast especially north of Lamberts Bay.
237.4 Blennophis striatus
(Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908)
PLATE 117
Striped klipfish
Gestreepte klipvis
Clinus striatus Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908: 134 (False Bay). Blennophis striatus: Smith, 1946: 539; SFSA No. 981*; Smith & Smith, 1966:
109*. Clinus (Blennophis) striatus: Penrith, 1969: 24.
D XL-XLV,2-4; A 11,28-31; P 12-13; V 1,2-3; GR (2-3)+(7-8); vertebrae
17+(34-35). LL with about 22 double pores in front part.
Adults have only faint white longitudinal stripes with
light-edged dark ocellus on shoulder; juveniles whitish with
759