240: GOBIIDAE (GOBlES)
black; V with dark crossbands. Estuarine. Attains 10 cm.
Indo-Pacific, south to East London.
240.42 Glossogobius biocellatus: 7.5 em SL (Seychelles).
River goby
240.43 Glossogobius cal/idus
(Smith, 1937)
PLA.TE 123
Rivier-dikkop
Gobius gulosus Smith, 1936: 49 (Bushman's River , Alicedale; preoccupied). Gobius callidus Smith, 1937: 197 (replacement for Gobius
gulosus Smith). Gobius giuris (non Hamilton-Buchanan): Smith, SFSA
No. 919* (in part) . Glossogobius giuris: Smith, 1959: 214* (in part); 1960:
311 (in part); 1961: 570, No_ 919; Bruton , 1980: 232* (in part) . Glossogobius callidus : Hoese & Winterbottom , 1979: 4.
D VI+I,8-1O; A 1,7-9; P 14-19; LS 28-32; TRB 8-9; GR (1-3)+(11-13).
short and thin. Cheeks becoming bulbous in large individuals.
D with some spotting, but spots not prominent along
front edge of 2nd D; a thin dark stripe from eye to upper lip;
enlarged vertical bar or spot at C base. A dark stripe appears near base of 1st D in summer. Close to G. minutus
Geevarghese and John, 1983. Attains 12 cm. Aldabra,
Mozambique, south to Port Elizabeth.
240.43 Glossogobius callidus: top: 9 em holotype (Bushman's River); bottom:
10.5 em (Sundays River, Algoa Bay).
Tank goby
240.44 Glossogobius giuris
(Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822)
Tenk-dikkop
Gobius giuris Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822: 51, PI. 33 (Gangetic provinces, India) ; Smith, SFSA No. 919 (in part). Glossogobius tenuiformis
Fowler, 1934: 496 , Fig. 49 (Zululand). Glossogobius giuris : Smith , 1959:
214 (in part); 1960: 311 (in part) ; 1961: 570, No. 919 (in part) ; Hoese &
Winterbottom, 1979: 4; Bruton , 1980: 232* (in part).
790
D VI+I,9; A 1,8; P 19-20; LS 29-33; TRB 9-10 ; GR (1-2)+9, short and
stubby.
D with small spots forming longitudinal stripes, spots darkest along spine of 2nd D. Primarily freshwater. Attains 50
cm. Indo-West Pacific, south to Port St. Johns.
240.44 Glossogobius giuris: 23.5 em (Natal).
Genus Gnatho/epis Bleeker, 1874
Mouth terminal or subinferior; cheek and opercular
scales large ; head pores Type B, with 2 anterior interorbital
pores; papillae pattern transverse. Gill opening equals P
base . Va disc. Scales ctenoid. D VI +1,11; A 1,11; P 15-18;
LS 24-31. Vertebrae 26. Dark spot above P base, and a dark
vertical bar from under eye. Easily confused with Istigobius, which lacks cheek and opercular scales and has a
single anterior interorbital pore . Several species, found in
tropical areas on sand and coral reefs; 2 species in our area;
Gnatholepis is in need of revision, and the species names
are uncertain .
KEY TO SPECIES
la Prepelvic scales extending to under eye; P 15-16;
body depth at V origin 4.3-5.0 in total length ;
head scales largely ctenoid ; stripe from eye extends
onto underside of head; a short bar behind mouth
on lower surface of head .. ......... .. .... ...... .... ..... . Gnatholepis sp . I
1 b Prepelvic scales ending below end of preopercle ;
P 17-18; body depth at V origin 5.3-6.0 in total
length ; head scales largely cycloid; stripe from
eye extends slightly onto underside of head; no
second stripe behind jaws ventrally ......... ........ .. Gnatholepis sp. 2
Weeper
240.45 Gnatholepis sp. 1
PLA.TE 123
Huiler
Gobius capistratus: Smith, SFSA No. 931* (in part). Acentrogobius
caurensis: Smith , 1959: 202* (in part; PI. Ilc) ; 1960: 307 (in part) ; 1961:
570, No. 931 (in part).
D VI+I ,II; A 1,11; P 15-16; LS 25-28 ; TRB 10-11 ; PD 10-11 . Cheek
scales extend forward to in front of eye ; ctenoid in rear , cycloid in front; P
base scales cycloid and ctenoid; opercular scales ctenoid ; PD scales cycloid on midline , ctenoid at sides.
Body yellow to brown, often with longitudinal dark lines
and irregular blotches along midside; spot above P base
black; V with dark crossbands. Estuarine. Attains 10 cm.
Indo-Pacific, south to East London.
240.42 Glossogobius biocellatus: 7.5 em SL (Seychelles).
River goby
240.43 Glossogobius cal/idus
(Smith, 1937)
PLA.TE 123
Rivier-dikkop
Gobius gulosus Smith, 1936: 49 (Bushman's River , Alicedale; preoccupied). Gobius callidus Smith, 1937: 197 (replacement for Gobius
gulosus Smith). Gobius giuris (non Hamilton-Buchanan): Smith, SFSA
No. 919* (in part) . Glossogobius giuris: Smith, 1959: 214* (in part); 1960:
311 (in part); 1961: 570, No_ 919; Bruton , 1980: 232* (in part) . Glossogobius callidus : Hoese & Winterbottom , 1979: 4.
D VI+I,8-1O; A 1,7-9; P 14-19; LS 28-32; TRB 8-9; GR (1-3)+(11-13).
short and thin. Cheeks becoming bulbous in large individuals.
D with some spotting, but spots not prominent along
front edge of 2nd D; a thin dark stripe from eye to upper lip;
enlarged vertical bar or spot at C base. A dark stripe appears near base of 1st D in summer. Close to G. minutus
Geevarghese and John, 1983. Attains 12 cm. Aldabra,
Mozambique, south to Port Elizabeth.
240.43 Glossogobius callidus: top: 9 em holotype (Bushman's River); bottom:
10.5 em (Sundays River, Algoa Bay).
Tank goby
240.44 Glossogobius giuris
(Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822)
Tenk-dikkop
Gobius giuris Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822: 51, PI. 33 (Gangetic provinces, India) ; Smith, SFSA No. 919 (in part). Glossogobius tenuiformis
Fowler, 1934: 496 , Fig. 49 (Zululand). Glossogobius giuris : Smith , 1959:
214 (in part); 1960: 311 (in part) ; 1961: 570, No. 919 (in part) ; Hoese &
Winterbottom, 1979: 4; Bruton , 1980: 232* (in part).
790
D VI+I,9; A 1,8; P 19-20; LS 29-33; TRB 9-10 ; GR (1-2)+9, short and
stubby.
D with small spots forming longitudinal stripes, spots darkest along spine of 2nd D. Primarily freshwater. Attains 50
cm. Indo-West Pacific, south to Port St. Johns.
240.44 Glossogobius giuris: 23.5 em (Natal).
Genus Gnatho/epis Bleeker, 1874
Mouth terminal or subinferior; cheek and opercular
scales large ; head pores Type B, with 2 anterior interorbital
pores; papillae pattern transverse. Gill opening equals P
base . Va disc. Scales ctenoid. D VI +1,11; A 1,11; P 15-18;
LS 24-31. Vertebrae 26. Dark spot above P base, and a dark
vertical bar from under eye. Easily confused with Istigobius, which lacks cheek and opercular scales and has a
single anterior interorbital pore . Several species, found in
tropical areas on sand and coral reefs; 2 species in our area;
Gnatholepis is in need of revision, and the species names
are uncertain .
KEY TO SPECIES
la Prepelvic scales extending to under eye; P 15-16;
body depth at V origin 4.3-5.0 in total length ;
head scales largely ctenoid ; stripe from eye extends
onto underside of head; a short bar behind mouth
on lower surface of head .. ......... .. .... ...... .... ..... . Gnatholepis sp . I
1 b Prepelvic scales ending below end of preopercle ;
P 17-18; body depth at V origin 5.3-6.0 in total
length ; head scales largely cycloid; stripe from
eye extends slightly onto underside of head; no
second stripe behind jaws ventrally ......... ........ .. Gnatholepis sp. 2
Weeper
240.45 Gnatholepis sp. 1
PLA.TE 123
Huiler
Gobius capistratus: Smith, SFSA No. 931* (in part). Acentrogobius
caurensis: Smith , 1959: 202* (in part; PI. Ilc) ; 1960: 307 (in part) ; 1961:
570, No. 931 (in part).
D VI+I ,II; A 1,11; P 15-16; LS 25-28 ; TRB 10-11 ; PD 10-11 . Cheek
scales extend forward to in front of eye ; ctenoid in rear , cycloid in front; P
base scales cycloid and ctenoid; opercular scales ctenoid ; PD scales cycloid on midline , ctenoid at sides.
Body yellow to brown, often with longitudinal dark lines
and irregular blotches along midside; spot above P base