240: GOBIIDAE (GOBlES)
Body spotted posteriorly; with irregular crossbars
anteriorly; D with 2-3 stripes formed by small black spots.
Rare. Attains 10 cm. Natal to Knysna.
240.23 Caffrogobius nudiceps
(Valenciennes, 1827)
Barehead goby
Bles-dikkop
Gobius nudiceps Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1827: 65 (Cape); Smith,
SFSA No. 927. Gobius gilchristi Boulenger, 1898: 8 (Brak River, Cape).
Coryphop'terus nudiceps: Smith, 1960: 309* ; 1961: 570, No. 927.
D VI+I ,11-12; A 1,10-11; P 19-23; LS 33-37 (east coast), 43-50 (west
coast); TRB 14-17; PD 0-6; GR (2-4)+9. Vertebrae 10+17. Pre dorsal
scaled at sides to above midopercle; midline mostly naked; P base with
cycloid scales; prepelvic with naked patch in front. Head rounded; anterior nostrils without a flap; mental frenum low and triangular.
Pale vertical bar at P base bordered in front by a dark bar,
more intense dorsally. Attains 14 cm. East London to Cape
and north to Walvis Bay.
240.23 Caffrogobius nudieeps: 8 em (Knysna).
240.24 Caffrogobius saldanha
(Barnard,1927)
PLATE 122
Commafin goby
Kommavin-dikkop
Gobius saldanha Barnard, 1927: 823 (Saldanha Bay). Bathygobius saldanha: Smith , SFSA No. 912*. Monishia saldanha: Smith, 1960: 304.
Ctenogobius cloatus Smith , 1960: 302 , Fig. 1 (Knysna); 1961 : 570, No.
916c; Smith & Smith, 1966: 105*. Ctenogobius saldanha: Talbot & Penrith,
1965: 190*.
D VI +1,9-11; A 1,9-10; P20-22; LS 33-37; TRB 10-12; GR (1-2)+(1-7).
Vertebrae 10+ 17. Predorsal naked; P base with cycloid scales; prepelvic
incompletely scaled, naked in young; midline of belly usually scaled , but
sometimes with a thin naked area along midline . Anterior nostrils with a
short flap ; mental frenum well developed; tips of upper 5-7 P rays free.
Body with spots, smaller than pupil, often forming irregular longitudinal rows; 1st D often with a large black
240.24 Caffrogobius saldanha: 8.5 em holotype of Ctenogobius eloatus
(Knysna).
784
spot posteriorly. Large males often with faint vertical bands
anteriorly; branchiostegal membrane in front of isthmus
with a triangular dark patch; fins, except C, dusky. Attains
12 cm. Saldanha Bay to southern Transkei.
Genus Callogobius Bleeker, 1874
Head with large vertical flaps; rear nostrils tubular; V
separate , partly connected, or united, frenum present or
absent. Head pores Type A or absent, number of pores often
reduced; papillae in transverse pattern . Gill opening equals
P base. Scales cycloid, ctenoid, or rarely absent (present in
our species). D VI+I,9-15 (9-10 in our species); A 1,6-13
(6-8 in our species); P 15-19; LS 22-70. Vertebrae 26 or 27.
Tropical and subtropical species , found on coral or rocky
reefs. Easily confused with Gobiopsis , which has longitudinal ridges on side of head . Mucogobius is a synonym of Callogobius; many species incorrectly placed in Drombus.
Several species, 4 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la V separate, no frenum .. ............ ................. ... .. ....... .. ... .. ..... 2
Ib V united, frenum present ............................ ... .... .... ... ... .. ..... 3
2a A 1,7; LS 27-28; all but anterior 3-4 ctenoid ;
TRB 9-10; body with dark vertical bars contrasting
with body colour ... .............. ............. ,..................... C. sclateri
2b A 1,8; LS 33-36; anterior 11-12 cycloid, TRB 13-17;
body dark brown without contrasting bars ..... ..... C. flavobrunneus
3a LS 7-9 cycloid + 16-17 ctenoid; anterior nostrils
short; body with dark bands contrasting with body
colour; no prolonged D spines ............................... C. plumatus
3b LS 3-4 cycloid + 20-22 ctenoid; anterior nostrils
elongate; body dark brown to black with
numerous small pale spots; 1st 2 D spines often
prolonged ............... ... ..... ........... ................... C. maculipinnis
240.25 Callogobius flavobrunneus
(Smith,1958)
PLATE 122
Slimygoby
Slym-dikkop
Mucogobius flavobrunneus Smith , 1958: 145 , Fig. 6 & PI. IIc (Pinda);
1961: 570, No. 938c. Caliogobiusflavobrunneus: Hoese & Winterbottom,
1979: 4.
D VI+ 1,10; A 1,8; P 15-16; LS 33-36 (anterior 11-12 cycloid, posterior
21-24 ctenoid); TRB 13-17; PD 14-17; GR 0+6. Head pores present dorsally ; no preopercular pores; nostrils subequal. No V frenum.
240.25 Callogobius flavobrunneus: 6.5 em holotype (N. Mozambique).
Body spotted posteriorly; with irregular crossbars
anteriorly; D with 2-3 stripes formed by small black spots.
Rare. Attains 10 cm. Natal to Knysna.
240.23 Caffrogobius nudiceps
(Valenciennes, 1827)
Barehead goby
Bles-dikkop
Gobius nudiceps Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1827: 65 (Cape); Smith,
SFSA No. 927. Gobius gilchristi Boulenger, 1898: 8 (Brak River, Cape).
Coryphop'terus nudiceps: Smith, 1960: 309* ; 1961: 570, No. 927.
D VI+I ,11-12; A 1,10-11; P 19-23; LS 33-37 (east coast), 43-50 (west
coast); TRB 14-17; PD 0-6; GR (2-4)+9. Vertebrae 10+17. Pre dorsal
scaled at sides to above midopercle; midline mostly naked; P base with
cycloid scales; prepelvic with naked patch in front. Head rounded; anterior nostrils without a flap; mental frenum low and triangular.
Pale vertical bar at P base bordered in front by a dark bar,
more intense dorsally. Attains 14 cm. East London to Cape
and north to Walvis Bay.
240.23 Caffrogobius nudieeps: 8 em (Knysna).
240.24 Caffrogobius saldanha
(Barnard,1927)
PLATE 122
Commafin goby
Kommavin-dikkop
Gobius saldanha Barnard, 1927: 823 (Saldanha Bay). Bathygobius saldanha: Smith , SFSA No. 912*. Monishia saldanha: Smith, 1960: 304.
Ctenogobius cloatus Smith , 1960: 302 , Fig. 1 (Knysna); 1961 : 570, No.
916c; Smith & Smith, 1966: 105*. Ctenogobius saldanha: Talbot & Penrith,
1965: 190*.
D VI +1,9-11; A 1,9-10; P20-22; LS 33-37; TRB 10-12; GR (1-2)+(1-7).
Vertebrae 10+ 17. Predorsal naked; P base with cycloid scales; prepelvic
incompletely scaled, naked in young; midline of belly usually scaled , but
sometimes with a thin naked area along midline . Anterior nostrils with a
short flap ; mental frenum well developed; tips of upper 5-7 P rays free.
Body with spots, smaller than pupil, often forming irregular longitudinal rows; 1st D often with a large black
240.24 Caffrogobius saldanha: 8.5 em holotype of Ctenogobius eloatus
(Knysna).
784
spot posteriorly. Large males often with faint vertical bands
anteriorly; branchiostegal membrane in front of isthmus
with a triangular dark patch; fins, except C, dusky. Attains
12 cm. Saldanha Bay to southern Transkei.
Genus Callogobius Bleeker, 1874
Head with large vertical flaps; rear nostrils tubular; V
separate , partly connected, or united, frenum present or
absent. Head pores Type A or absent, number of pores often
reduced; papillae in transverse pattern . Gill opening equals
P base. Scales cycloid, ctenoid, or rarely absent (present in
our species). D VI+I,9-15 (9-10 in our species); A 1,6-13
(6-8 in our species); P 15-19; LS 22-70. Vertebrae 26 or 27.
Tropical and subtropical species , found on coral or rocky
reefs. Easily confused with Gobiopsis , which has longitudinal ridges on side of head . Mucogobius is a synonym of Callogobius; many species incorrectly placed in Drombus.
Several species, 4 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la V separate, no frenum .. ............ ................. ... .. ....... .. ... .. ..... 2
Ib V united, frenum present ............................ ... .... .... ... ... .. ..... 3
2a A 1,7; LS 27-28; all but anterior 3-4 ctenoid ;
TRB 9-10; body with dark vertical bars contrasting
with body colour ... .............. ............. ,..................... C. sclateri
2b A 1,8; LS 33-36; anterior 11-12 cycloid, TRB 13-17;
body dark brown without contrasting bars ..... ..... C. flavobrunneus
3a LS 7-9 cycloid + 16-17 ctenoid; anterior nostrils
short; body with dark bands contrasting with body
colour; no prolonged D spines ............................... C. plumatus
3b LS 3-4 cycloid + 20-22 ctenoid; anterior nostrils
elongate; body dark brown to black with
numerous small pale spots; 1st 2 D spines often
prolonged ............... ... ..... ........... ................... C. maculipinnis
240.25 Callogobius flavobrunneus
(Smith,1958)
PLATE 122
Slimygoby
Slym-dikkop
Mucogobius flavobrunneus Smith , 1958: 145 , Fig. 6 & PI. IIc (Pinda);
1961: 570, No. 938c. Caliogobiusflavobrunneus: Hoese & Winterbottom,
1979: 4.
D VI+ 1,10; A 1,8; P 15-16; LS 33-36 (anterior 11-12 cycloid, posterior
21-24 ctenoid); TRB 13-17; PD 14-17; GR 0+6. Head pores present dorsally ; no preopercular pores; nostrils subequal. No V frenum.
240.25 Callogobius flavobrunneus: 6.5 em holotype (N. Mozambique).