KEY TO SPECIES
la Front Yz of lower limb of 1st gill arch attached
by membrane to operculum; lower GR 5-7;
oblique row of papillae dorsally on operculum
not reaching lower oblique row .................... ....... E. mauritianus
Ib Lower limb of 1st gill arch attached to operculum
only near anterior tip; lower GR 8-10; upper
papillae row on operculum curves downward
to lower row at rear end of operculum .................................. . 2
2a LS 46-56; anterior 3 vertical papillae rows below
eye extend below longitudinal row on mid-check;
7-9 transverse papillae rows along lower margin
of preopercle from preopercular spine to
rear end of jaws .............................................. E. melanosoma
2b LS 57-65; anterior most and 3rd papillae row
under eye extend below longitudinal row;
8-12 transverse papillae rows along lower margin
of preopercle ................................................... . ...... E. [usca
Dusky sleeper
241.4 Eleotris fusca
(Schneider, 1801)
Donker slaper
Poecilia [usca Schneider, in Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 453 ("Oriadeae
insulae rivulis" = Pacific islands). Eleotris [usca: Smith, SFSA No. 938* (in
part); 1958: 149 (in part); Akihito, 1967, 154*.
D VI+I,8; A 1,8; P 17-19; GR(2-3)+(8-1O); LS 57-65; TRB 16-20; PD
38-50. Maxilla reaches to below middle of eye; cheek scaled to under eye;
numerous short papillae rows between main vertical cheek rows developing with increased size.
Head, body and fins dark brown to black; numerous horizontal dark (or light) lines on body; fins spotted in young.
Several species have been confused with E. fusca. Attains
26 cm. Tropical Indo-West Pacific, south to Coffee Bay,
Transkei.
241.4 Eleotris fusca: 18 em (Natal).
241.5 Eleotris mauritianus
Bennett, 1831
Widehead sleeper
Wyekop-slaper
Eleotris mauritianus Bennett, 1831: 166 (Mauritius); Akihito, 1967:
154. Eleotris [usca (non Bloch): Smith, SFSA No. 938 (in part); 1958: 149
(in part). Eleotris melanosoma (non Bleeker): Smith, SFSA No. 9383;
1958: 150*.
D VI+I,8; A 1,8; P 15-18; GR (2-3)+(5-7); LS 56-65; TRB 14-19; PD
35-49 . Maxilla reaches to below front Yz of eye; cheek scaled to below
middle of eye. Often confused with Eleotris [usca and E. melanosoma.
Eleolris acanthopoma Bleeker from the Pacific may prove identical.
241: ELEOTRIDAE (SLEEPERS)
Head and body dark brown to black, often with numerous light longitudinal lines and irregular mottling on body;
fins dark. Attains 15 cm. Umtata River to Mozambique,
Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius.
241.5 Eleotris mauritianus: 11 em SL (Natal).
241.6 Eleotris melanosoma
Bleeker, 1852
Broadhead sleeper
Breekop-slaper
Eleolris melanosoma Bleeker, 1852: 705 (Sumatra); Akihito, 1967:
151*. Eleotris [usca (non Bloch): Smith, SFSA No. 938 (in part); 1958: 149
(in part).
D VI+I,8; A 1,8; P 17-20 (usually 17-18 in our area); GR (2-3)+(8-9);
LS 46-56; TRB 17-20; PD 37-53. Maxilla reaches to below rear Yz of eye.
Preopercle scaled dorsally, scales not reaching to below eyes. Possibly 2
Indo-Pacific species are being confused under this name.
Body dark brown to black, sometimes with pale longitudinallines; fins spotted in young, becoming black in large
individuals. Attains 17 cm. Tropical Indo-West Pacific,
south to Qora River, Transkei.
241.6 Eleotris melanosoma: 10 em SL (Natal).
Genus Hypseleotris Gill, 1863
Head compressed; top of head, cheeks and opercles
usually (always in our area) scaled. No enlarged scales
between eyes. Anterior nostril a short tube. Gill opening
extends to below rear margin of preopercle. Most Prays
branched. Head pores absent or reduced to 2-4 preopercular pores and 2 or 3 pores above each eye. Mouth very
oblique, reaching below front of eye. P base narrow, with
free fold of skin dorsally. Segmented Crays 15. D VIVIII+I,8-12; A 1,10-13; P 12-17; LS 24-43; vertebrae
25-32. A tropical and warm-temperate genus typically in
freshwater, sometimes in estuaries. About 15 species, 1 in
our area.
809
la Front Yz of lower limb of 1st gill arch attached
by membrane to operculum; lower GR 5-7;
oblique row of papillae dorsally on operculum
not reaching lower oblique row .................... ....... E. mauritianus
Ib Lower limb of 1st gill arch attached to operculum
only near anterior tip; lower GR 8-10; upper
papillae row on operculum curves downward
to lower row at rear end of operculum .................................. . 2
2a LS 46-56; anterior 3 vertical papillae rows below
eye extend below longitudinal row on mid-check;
7-9 transverse papillae rows along lower margin
of preopercle from preopercular spine to
rear end of jaws .............................................. E. melanosoma
2b LS 57-65; anterior most and 3rd papillae row
under eye extend below longitudinal row;
8-12 transverse papillae rows along lower margin
of preopercle ................................................... . ...... E. [usca
Dusky sleeper
241.4 Eleotris fusca
(Schneider, 1801)
Donker slaper
Poecilia [usca Schneider, in Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 453 ("Oriadeae
insulae rivulis" = Pacific islands). Eleotris [usca: Smith, SFSA No. 938* (in
part); 1958: 149 (in part); Akihito, 1967, 154*.
D VI+I,8; A 1,8; P 17-19; GR(2-3)+(8-1O); LS 57-65; TRB 16-20; PD
38-50. Maxilla reaches to below middle of eye; cheek scaled to under eye;
numerous short papillae rows between main vertical cheek rows developing with increased size.
Head, body and fins dark brown to black; numerous horizontal dark (or light) lines on body; fins spotted in young.
Several species have been confused with E. fusca. Attains
26 cm. Tropical Indo-West Pacific, south to Coffee Bay,
Transkei.
241.4 Eleotris fusca: 18 em (Natal).
241.5 Eleotris mauritianus
Bennett, 1831
Widehead sleeper
Wyekop-slaper
Eleotris mauritianus Bennett, 1831: 166 (Mauritius); Akihito, 1967:
154. Eleotris [usca (non Bloch): Smith, SFSA No. 938 (in part); 1958: 149
(in part). Eleotris melanosoma (non Bleeker): Smith, SFSA No. 9383;
1958: 150*.
D VI+I,8; A 1,8; P 15-18; GR (2-3)+(5-7); LS 56-65; TRB 14-19; PD
35-49 . Maxilla reaches to below front Yz of eye; cheek scaled to below
middle of eye. Often confused with Eleotris [usca and E. melanosoma.
Eleolris acanthopoma Bleeker from the Pacific may prove identical.
241: ELEOTRIDAE (SLEEPERS)
Head and body dark brown to black, often with numerous light longitudinal lines and irregular mottling on body;
fins dark. Attains 15 cm. Umtata River to Mozambique,
Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius.
241.5 Eleotris mauritianus: 11 em SL (Natal).
241.6 Eleotris melanosoma
Bleeker, 1852
Broadhead sleeper
Breekop-slaper
Eleolris melanosoma Bleeker, 1852: 705 (Sumatra); Akihito, 1967:
151*. Eleotris [usca (non Bloch): Smith, SFSA No. 938 (in part); 1958: 149
(in part).
D VI+I,8; A 1,8; P 17-20 (usually 17-18 in our area); GR (2-3)+(8-9);
LS 46-56; TRB 17-20; PD 37-53. Maxilla reaches to below rear Yz of eye.
Preopercle scaled dorsally, scales not reaching to below eyes. Possibly 2
Indo-Pacific species are being confused under this name.
Body dark brown to black, sometimes with pale longitudinallines; fins spotted in young, becoming black in large
individuals. Attains 17 cm. Tropical Indo-West Pacific,
south to Qora River, Transkei.
241.6 Eleotris melanosoma: 10 em SL (Natal).
Genus Hypseleotris Gill, 1863
Head compressed; top of head, cheeks and opercles
usually (always in our area) scaled. No enlarged scales
between eyes. Anterior nostril a short tube. Gill opening
extends to below rear margin of preopercle. Most Prays
branched. Head pores absent or reduced to 2-4 preopercular pores and 2 or 3 pores above each eye. Mouth very
oblique, reaching below front of eye. P base narrow, with
free fold of skin dorsally. Segmented Crays 15. D VIVIII+I,8-12; A 1,10-13; P 12-17; LS 24-43; vertebrae
25-32. A tropical and warm-temperate genus typically in
freshwater, sometimes in estuaries. About 15 species, 1 in
our area.
809