241: ELEOTRIDAE (SLEEPERS)
tending to below eye. Head pores present above eyes,
preoperculum and operculum. P rays branched. Segmented
Crays 17; D VI+I,8; A 1,8-9; P 17-21; LS 25-30; vertebrae
26.
A tropical genus found in estuaries and lower reaches of
rivers. About 5 species, 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Body depth 4.5-5.0 in SL; C uniformly dark ........ B. melanostigma
lb Body depth 5.0-6.0 in SL; upper margin of
C clear , rest of fin dark .. ....... ............. .. .. .. .......... .. .. ..... B. butis
241.1 Bufis butis
(Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822)
Duckbill sleeper
Eendbek-slaper
Cheilodipterus butis Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822: 57,367 (India) . BUfis
butis: Smith, SFSA No. 940; 1958: 143* .
o VI + 1,8; A 1,8-9; P 18-20; LS 28-30; TRB 9-10; PO 20-25; GR 3+8.
Maxilla ends under front edge of eye. Interorbital with ctenoid scales
extending between eye and orbital crest. Adults with small auxiliary scales
between larger body scales. Upper GR pointed.
Body dark with several dark longitudinal lines; C black
with a light margin dorsally; P base with 1 or 2 black spots.
Attains 14 cm. Tropical Indo-West Pacific, south to Mgeni
Beachwood estuary, Natal.
241.1 Butis butis: 4 em SL (Natal).
241.2 Bufis me/anostigma
(Bleeker, 1849)
Blackspot sleeper
Swartkol-slaper
Eleotris meianostigma Bleeker , 1849: 23 (Indonesia).
o VI+I,8; A 1,8; P 18-20; LS 25-30; TRB 9-10; PO 25-30; GR 0+7.
Maxilla ends under front to middle of eye. Interorbital with ctenoid scales
241.2 Butis melanostigma: 9 em SL (Transkei).
808
between eye and orbital crest. Adults with small auxiliary scales on larger
body scales. Upper GR developed as clusters of spines.
Body dark with several thin longitudinal dark lines, and
often with irregular dark spots; P base with large black spot;
C black. Attains 18 cm. Port St. Johns; otherwise known
from tropical western Pacific.
Genus Calumia Smith, 1958
Head depressed; top of head, cheeks and opercles with
large scales, enlarged scale between eyes. Anterior nostril
elongate. Gill opening extending to below preopercle or
eye. No head pores. P rays unbranched. Segmented Crays
15. P 14-17; LS 21-25; vertebrae 25. Two species, known
only from coral reefs ; 1 in our area.
241.3 Ca/umia godeffroyi
(Gunther, 1877)
PLATE 127
Tailface sleeper
Stertgesig-slaper
Eleotris godeffroyi Giinther, 1877: 188, PI. 122, Fig. B (Raiatea ,
Tahiti) . Calumia biocellata Smith, 1958: 148, PI. II, K and Fig. 8
(Zanzibar); 1961: 570 , No. 941a. Calumia godeffroyi: Larson & Hoese,
1980: 18*.
o VI + 1,6-7; A 1,6-7; P 16-17; LS 21-23; TRB 7-8; PO 7-9; lower GR 6,
short and stubby. Maxilla reaching to below front edge of eye. Gill opening extends to below rear preopercle margin. V rays branched .
Body with 5 dark vertical bars; C base with 2 dark spots.
Attains 36 mm. Bazaruto to Shimoni, Philippines, Australia
and Tahiti.
241.3 Calumia godeffroyi: 3.5 em holotype of C. biocellata (Zanzibar).
Genus Eleotris Schneider, 1801
Head depressed; top of head, cheeks and opercles scaled;
interorbital scales minute. Anterior nostril a short tube.
Gill opening extending to below end of preopercle. Prays
mostly branched. No head pores. Vertebrae 10+ 15. Segmented Crays 15; soft D 1,7-8; P 15-20; LS 41-76; PD 33-64;
vertebrae 26. A worldwide tropical genus found in fresh and
estuarine waters. About 10-15 species, 3 in our area.
tending to below eye. Head pores present above eyes,
preoperculum and operculum. P rays branched. Segmented
Crays 17; D VI+I,8; A 1,8-9; P 17-21; LS 25-30; vertebrae
26.
A tropical genus found in estuaries and lower reaches of
rivers. About 5 species, 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Body depth 4.5-5.0 in SL; C uniformly dark ........ B. melanostigma
lb Body depth 5.0-6.0 in SL; upper margin of
C clear , rest of fin dark .. ....... ............. .. .. .. .......... .. .. ..... B. butis
241.1 Bufis butis
(Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822)
Duckbill sleeper
Eendbek-slaper
Cheilodipterus butis Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822: 57,367 (India) . BUfis
butis: Smith, SFSA No. 940; 1958: 143* .
o VI + 1,8; A 1,8-9; P 18-20; LS 28-30; TRB 9-10; PO 20-25; GR 3+8.
Maxilla ends under front edge of eye. Interorbital with ctenoid scales
extending between eye and orbital crest. Adults with small auxiliary scales
between larger body scales. Upper GR pointed.
Body dark with several dark longitudinal lines; C black
with a light margin dorsally; P base with 1 or 2 black spots.
Attains 14 cm. Tropical Indo-West Pacific, south to Mgeni
Beachwood estuary, Natal.
241.1 Butis butis: 4 em SL (Natal).
241.2 Bufis me/anostigma
(Bleeker, 1849)
Blackspot sleeper
Swartkol-slaper
Eleotris meianostigma Bleeker , 1849: 23 (Indonesia).
o VI+I,8; A 1,8; P 18-20; LS 25-30; TRB 9-10; PO 25-30; GR 0+7.
Maxilla ends under front to middle of eye. Interorbital with ctenoid scales
241.2 Butis melanostigma: 9 em SL (Transkei).
808
between eye and orbital crest. Adults with small auxiliary scales on larger
body scales. Upper GR developed as clusters of spines.
Body dark with several thin longitudinal dark lines, and
often with irregular dark spots; P base with large black spot;
C black. Attains 18 cm. Port St. Johns; otherwise known
from tropical western Pacific.
Genus Calumia Smith, 1958
Head depressed; top of head, cheeks and opercles with
large scales, enlarged scale between eyes. Anterior nostril
elongate. Gill opening extending to below preopercle or
eye. No head pores. P rays unbranched. Segmented Crays
15. P 14-17; LS 21-25; vertebrae 25. Two species, known
only from coral reefs ; 1 in our area.
241.3 Ca/umia godeffroyi
(Gunther, 1877)
PLATE 127
Tailface sleeper
Stertgesig-slaper
Eleotris godeffroyi Giinther, 1877: 188, PI. 122, Fig. B (Raiatea ,
Tahiti) . Calumia biocellata Smith, 1958: 148, PI. II, K and Fig. 8
(Zanzibar); 1961: 570 , No. 941a. Calumia godeffroyi: Larson & Hoese,
1980: 18*.
o VI + 1,6-7; A 1,6-7; P 16-17; LS 21-23; TRB 7-8; PO 7-9; lower GR 6,
short and stubby. Maxilla reaching to below front edge of eye. Gill opening extends to below rear preopercle margin. V rays branched .
Body with 5 dark vertical bars; C base with 2 dark spots.
Attains 36 mm. Bazaruto to Shimoni, Philippines, Australia
and Tahiti.
241.3 Calumia godeffroyi: 3.5 em holotype of C. biocellata (Zanzibar).
Genus Eleotris Schneider, 1801
Head depressed; top of head, cheeks and opercles scaled;
interorbital scales minute. Anterior nostril a short tube.
Gill opening extending to below end of preopercle. Prays
mostly branched. No head pores. Vertebrae 10+ 15. Segmented Crays 15; soft D 1,7-8; P 15-20; LS 41-76; PD 33-64;
vertebrae 26. A worldwide tropical genus found in fresh and
estuarine waters. About 10-15 species, 3 in our area.