240: GOBIIDAE (GOBlES)
Genus Cryptocentrus Valenciennes, 1837
Gill opening reaching to below or just behind end of
preopercle; head pores Type A; cheek papillae pattern
transverse; D origin behind V origin; V a disc. Scales sometimes ctenoid but more commonly entirely cycloid. D
VI+I,9-12; A 1,9-11; P 15-19; LS 47-110. Vertebrae 26.
Tropical species living in burrows with alphaeid shrimps in
mangrove areas, bays and coral reefs. Easily confused with
Amblyeleotris and Vanderhorstia, which are more slender
bodied and have a broader gill opening. About 40 species, 3
in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Body scales largely ctenoid; large dark ocellus
below 1st D ...... ..... ...... ..... .. .. ... ... ................ ..... C. strigilliceps
1b Body scales entirely cycloid ; no large dark spot
on body below 1st D .... ... ... ....... .......... ... ... ........ ...... ...... .... . 2
2a Lower operculum with a ventrally directed spine;
body with 7-9 dark bars; 1st D low ...... ............... C. cryptocentrus
2b Operculum without a spine; body with scattered
light spots; 1st D elongate ................ ... ......... ......... C. pretoriusi
240.30 Cryptocentrus cryptocentrus
(Valenciennes, 1837)
PLATE 122
Eightbar goby
Agbalk-dikkop
Gobius cryptocentrus Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1837: 111, Fig. 346
(Red Sea). Cryptocentrus octofasciatus: Smith , SFSA No. 914*; 1959:
193*; 1960: 303. Cryptocentroides cryptocentrus: Smith, 1959: 213*.
D VI+I,IO; A 1,9; P 16-17; LS 71-84; TRB 28-33; PD 0-18;
GR (1-2)+(11-13). P base and prepelvic with a few scattered cycloid
scales; PD scales to above middle of preopercle (east Africa south to
Natal), or with few or no scales on midline (Seychelles, Aldabra and
Chagos); D spines 2 & 3 longest, sometimes slightly prolonged.
Head with numerous small blue spots. Attains 9 cm. May
be confused with C. lutheri Klausewitz (1960) (not yet recorded from our area), which lacks the opercular spine and
has PD scales reaching to eyes.
240.31 Cryptocentrus pretoriusi
Smith, 1958
Sailfin goby
Seilvin-dikkop
Cryptocentrus pretoriusi Smith, 1958: 127, Fig. 2 (Pondoland); 1959:
193*; 1960:303*; 1961: 570, No. 914a*.
D VI+I,l1; A 1,11; P 17; LS 96; GR 2+15 . Gill opening to rear
preopercular margin. Midline of nape naked; sides scaled to above end of
operculum. Breast and P base naked.
Head and body brown; head and front of body with irregular small blue ocelli, a series of similar spots along body
above midline; 1st D with a large ocellus, near base anteriorly. Attains 7.5 cm. Known only from Pondoland,
South Africa.
786
240.31 Cryptocentrus pretoriusi: 6 cm SL holotype (Transkei).
240.32 Cryptocentrus strigilliceps
(Jordan & Seale, 1906)
PLATE 122
Target goby
Teiken-dikkop
Mars strigilliceps Jordan & Seale, 1906: 408, Fig. 95 (Samoa). Obtortiophagus koumansi: Smith, 1959: 194*; 1961 : 570, No. 931a. Cryptocentrus strigilliceps: Hoese & Winterbottom, 1979: 4.
D VI+I,9-1O; A 1,9-10; P 16-17; LS 47-53 (14-16 cycloid + 32-37
ctenoid); TRB 17-18; PD 11-17; GR (3-4)+(10-12). P base and prepelvic
area with a few scattered cycloid scales; PD scales to above middle of
operculum ; 2nd and 3rd D spines slightly prolonged in adult.
Body with broad oblique dark bars; 4 large dark round
spots along midside; head with irregular mottling and thin
bands ventrally. Attains 5 cm. Widespread in tropical IndoWest Pacific, south to Bazaruto.
Genus Drombus Jordan & Seale, 1905
Mandibular frenum present; head papillae in transverse
pattern; head pores Type A; gill opening equals P base; no
free P rays; Va disc . D VI+ 1,9-10; A 1,8-11; P 16-19; LS 2731. Vertebrae 26. Predorsal scaled. Easily confused with
Bathygobius, which has the upper P rays free and a longitudinal head papillae pattern. About 10 tropical species inhabiting mangroves and coastal bays; 2 species in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a D VI+I,9; A 1,8; body depth at A origin 5.5-6.5 in
total length ..... .. ...... .... ............. .... ... .. .. ................ ...... D. key
1b DVI+I,10;AI,9;bodydepth6.5-7.5 ................. ....... D.simulus
Key goby
240.33 Drombus key
(Smith, 1947)
Sleutel-dikkop
Gobius key Smith, 1947: 807 (Inhaca); SFSA No. 916*. Ctenogobius
key: Smith, 1959: 195*; 1960: 301 ; 1961: 570, No. 916. Drombus key:
Hoese & Winterbottom, 1979: 4. Acentrogobius triangularis (non
Genus Cryptocentrus Valenciennes, 1837
Gill opening reaching to below or just behind end of
preopercle; head pores Type A; cheek papillae pattern
transverse; D origin behind V origin; V a disc. Scales sometimes ctenoid but more commonly entirely cycloid. D
VI+I,9-12; A 1,9-11; P 15-19; LS 47-110. Vertebrae 26.
Tropical species living in burrows with alphaeid shrimps in
mangrove areas, bays and coral reefs. Easily confused with
Amblyeleotris and Vanderhorstia, which are more slender
bodied and have a broader gill opening. About 40 species, 3
in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Body scales largely ctenoid; large dark ocellus
below 1st D ...... ..... ...... ..... .. .. ... ... ................ ..... C. strigilliceps
1b Body scales entirely cycloid ; no large dark spot
on body below 1st D .... ... ... ....... .......... ... ... ........ ...... ...... .... . 2
2a Lower operculum with a ventrally directed spine;
body with 7-9 dark bars; 1st D low ...... ............... C. cryptocentrus
2b Operculum without a spine; body with scattered
light spots; 1st D elongate ................ ... ......... ......... C. pretoriusi
240.30 Cryptocentrus cryptocentrus
(Valenciennes, 1837)
PLATE 122
Eightbar goby
Agbalk-dikkop
Gobius cryptocentrus Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1837: 111, Fig. 346
(Red Sea). Cryptocentrus octofasciatus: Smith , SFSA No. 914*; 1959:
193*; 1960: 303. Cryptocentroides cryptocentrus: Smith, 1959: 213*.
D VI+I,IO; A 1,9; P 16-17; LS 71-84; TRB 28-33; PD 0-18;
GR (1-2)+(11-13). P base and prepelvic with a few scattered cycloid
scales; PD scales to above middle of preopercle (east Africa south to
Natal), or with few or no scales on midline (Seychelles, Aldabra and
Chagos); D spines 2 & 3 longest, sometimes slightly prolonged.
Head with numerous small blue spots. Attains 9 cm. May
be confused with C. lutheri Klausewitz (1960) (not yet recorded from our area), which lacks the opercular spine and
has PD scales reaching to eyes.
240.31 Cryptocentrus pretoriusi
Smith, 1958
Sailfin goby
Seilvin-dikkop
Cryptocentrus pretoriusi Smith, 1958: 127, Fig. 2 (Pondoland); 1959:
193*; 1960:303*; 1961: 570, No. 914a*.
D VI+I,l1; A 1,11; P 17; LS 96; GR 2+15 . Gill opening to rear
preopercular margin. Midline of nape naked; sides scaled to above end of
operculum. Breast and P base naked.
Head and body brown; head and front of body with irregular small blue ocelli, a series of similar spots along body
above midline; 1st D with a large ocellus, near base anteriorly. Attains 7.5 cm. Known only from Pondoland,
South Africa.
786
240.31 Cryptocentrus pretoriusi: 6 cm SL holotype (Transkei).
240.32 Cryptocentrus strigilliceps
(Jordan & Seale, 1906)
PLATE 122
Target goby
Teiken-dikkop
Mars strigilliceps Jordan & Seale, 1906: 408, Fig. 95 (Samoa). Obtortiophagus koumansi: Smith, 1959: 194*; 1961 : 570, No. 931a. Cryptocentrus strigilliceps: Hoese & Winterbottom, 1979: 4.
D VI+I,9-1O; A 1,9-10; P 16-17; LS 47-53 (14-16 cycloid + 32-37
ctenoid); TRB 17-18; PD 11-17; GR (3-4)+(10-12). P base and prepelvic
area with a few scattered cycloid scales; PD scales to above middle of
operculum ; 2nd and 3rd D spines slightly prolonged in adult.
Body with broad oblique dark bars; 4 large dark round
spots along midside; head with irregular mottling and thin
bands ventrally. Attains 5 cm. Widespread in tropical IndoWest Pacific, south to Bazaruto.
Genus Drombus Jordan & Seale, 1905
Mandibular frenum present; head papillae in transverse
pattern; head pores Type A; gill opening equals P base; no
free P rays; Va disc . D VI+ 1,9-10; A 1,8-11; P 16-19; LS 2731. Vertebrae 26. Predorsal scaled. Easily confused with
Bathygobius, which has the upper P rays free and a longitudinal head papillae pattern. About 10 tropical species inhabiting mangroves and coastal bays; 2 species in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a D VI+I,9; A 1,8; body depth at A origin 5.5-6.5 in
total length ..... .. ...... .... ............. .... ... .. .. ................ ...... D. key
1b DVI+I,10;AI,9;bodydepth6.5-7.5 ................. ....... D.simulus
Key goby
240.33 Drombus key
(Smith, 1947)
Sleutel-dikkop
Gobius key Smith, 1947: 807 (Inhaca); SFSA No. 916*. Ctenogobius
key: Smith, 1959: 195*; 1960: 301 ; 1961: 570, No. 916. Drombus key:
Hoese & Winterbottom, 1979: 4. Acentrogobius triangularis (non