24R: TRICHIURIDAE (FROSTFISHES)
248.3 Benthodesmus e/ongatus e/ongatus
(Clarke, 1879)
Slender frostfish
Siank kalkvis
Lepidopus elongatus Clarke, 1879: 294, PI. 14 (Hokitaka, South [d.,
New Zealand). Benthodesmus atlanticus: Gilchrist & von Bonde, 1924:
16; Barnard, 1927: 792. Benthodesmus tenuis: Smith, SFSA No. 868*.
Benthodesmus elongatus elongatus: Parin & Bekker. 1970: 363; 1972: 174.
o XLIV-XLVI,98-100 (total 142-145); A 11.93-101; P 12. Body extremely elongate and compressed; depth about 36, head about 9 (70 cm
SL). Small cartilaginous flap at tip of each jaw. V minute. slightly posterior to P base. LL obscure.
Attains about 1 m. New Zealand, Australia and South
Africa; once found off Natal. Benthodesmus elongatus
simonyi (Steindachner, 1891) is the North Atlantic subspecies; Benthodesmus elongatus pacificus Parin & Bekker,
1970 is the North Pacific subspecies.
248.3 Benthodesmus elongatus elongatus: 43 em (Durban).
Genus Lepidopus Gouan, 1770
Parin and Mikhailin (1982) recognise 4 species, 1 in our
area.
248.4 Lepidopus caudatus
(Euphrasen, 1788)
PLATE 128
Buttersnoek
Bottersnoek
Trichiurus caudatus Euphrasen, 1788: 52, PI. 9 (Fig. 2) (Cape of Good
Hope). Lepidopus caudatus: Smith, SFSA No. 867*; Tucker, 1956: 93*;
Smith & Smith. 1963: 133*; Parin & Bekker. 1973: 464.
o IX,88-100; A 11.61-64; P 12. Body extremely elongate and strongly
compressed; head about 7. depth 11-15 (1.2 m SL). Cartilaginous flap at
tip of jaws weak or absent. About 40 anterior A rays embedded; V a scalelike spine, inserted an eye diameter behind P base. Anus in about middle
of body.
Attains about 2 m. Benthopelagic, down to 400 m or
more. Found in inshore waters in upwelling of deep water,
and often appears on surface at night during frosty weather
at full moon. Mediterranean, eastern Atlantic from Norway
and Iceland to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Sometimes caught on flesh bait but generally trawled. Flesh
excellent.
Genus Tentoriceps Whitley, 1948
Monotypic.
830
248.5 Tentoriceps cristatus
(Klunzinger, 1884)
Trichiurus cristatus Klunzinger. 1884: 120. PI. 13. Fig. 5a (Red Sea).
Tentoriceps cristatus: Whitley, 1948: 94; Tucker. 1956: 110*; Senta, 1975:
175* Pseudoxymetopon sinensis Chu & Wu, 1962: 222*
o V,126-148; A I; P 11. Body extremely elongate and compressed;
depth 17-24, head 9-11. Large cartilaginous flap on tip of lower jaw. Vand
A reduced to scale-like spines; A rays not visible in adult. Vertebrae
(45-48)+(105-117) = 152-164.
Attains about 1 m. This species had long been known
only from Klunzinger's types, but it was recently reported
from Japan, the South China Sea, the Andaman Sea and the
Mozambique Channel. Probably occurs in our area.
248.5 Tentoriceps cristatus: 30 em (drawn after Nakamura).
Genus Trichiurus Linnaeus, 1758
One species, though many local variations have been
recognised.
Cutlass fish
248.6 Trichiurus /epturus
Linnaeus, 1758
PLATE 128
Haarstert
Trichiurus lepturus Linnaeus, 1758: 246 (America and China); Smith.
Sf'SA No. 869*; Tucker, 1956: 114*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 133*; Parin &
Bekker, 1973: 462.
o III,124-138; A 11.105-108; P 10-12. Body elongate. strongly compressed and tapering to a fine point. Head with a prominent crest. Lower
rear margin of gill cover concave. Small cartilaginous knob on tip of each
jaw. A not apparent. with 2 minute, triangular spines and about 105 softrays reduced to minute spinules.
Attains 2 m. Cosmopolitan species of tropical and temperate waters, frequently thrown ashore along our coast
especially after storms. Benthopelagic, on continental shelf
and slope down to 350 m depth; often enters shallow coastal
waters and harbours.
248.6 Trichiurus lepturus: 35 em (Port Alfred).
248.3 Benthodesmus e/ongatus e/ongatus
(Clarke, 1879)
Slender frostfish
Siank kalkvis
Lepidopus elongatus Clarke, 1879: 294, PI. 14 (Hokitaka, South [d.,
New Zealand). Benthodesmus atlanticus: Gilchrist & von Bonde, 1924:
16; Barnard, 1927: 792. Benthodesmus tenuis: Smith, SFSA No. 868*.
Benthodesmus elongatus elongatus: Parin & Bekker. 1970: 363; 1972: 174.
o XLIV-XLVI,98-100 (total 142-145); A 11.93-101; P 12. Body extremely elongate and compressed; depth about 36, head about 9 (70 cm
SL). Small cartilaginous flap at tip of each jaw. V minute. slightly posterior to P base. LL obscure.
Attains about 1 m. New Zealand, Australia and South
Africa; once found off Natal. Benthodesmus elongatus
simonyi (Steindachner, 1891) is the North Atlantic subspecies; Benthodesmus elongatus pacificus Parin & Bekker,
1970 is the North Pacific subspecies.
248.3 Benthodesmus elongatus elongatus: 43 em (Durban).
Genus Lepidopus Gouan, 1770
Parin and Mikhailin (1982) recognise 4 species, 1 in our
area.
248.4 Lepidopus caudatus
(Euphrasen, 1788)
PLATE 128
Buttersnoek
Bottersnoek
Trichiurus caudatus Euphrasen, 1788: 52, PI. 9 (Fig. 2) (Cape of Good
Hope). Lepidopus caudatus: Smith, SFSA No. 867*; Tucker, 1956: 93*;
Smith & Smith. 1963: 133*; Parin & Bekker. 1973: 464.
o IX,88-100; A 11.61-64; P 12. Body extremely elongate and strongly
compressed; head about 7. depth 11-15 (1.2 m SL). Cartilaginous flap at
tip of jaws weak or absent. About 40 anterior A rays embedded; V a scalelike spine, inserted an eye diameter behind P base. Anus in about middle
of body.
Attains about 2 m. Benthopelagic, down to 400 m or
more. Found in inshore waters in upwelling of deep water,
and often appears on surface at night during frosty weather
at full moon. Mediterranean, eastern Atlantic from Norway
and Iceland to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Sometimes caught on flesh bait but generally trawled. Flesh
excellent.
Genus Tentoriceps Whitley, 1948
Monotypic.
830
248.5 Tentoriceps cristatus
(Klunzinger, 1884)
Trichiurus cristatus Klunzinger. 1884: 120. PI. 13. Fig. 5a (Red Sea).
Tentoriceps cristatus: Whitley, 1948: 94; Tucker. 1956: 110*; Senta, 1975:
175* Pseudoxymetopon sinensis Chu & Wu, 1962: 222*
o V,126-148; A I; P 11. Body extremely elongate and compressed;
depth 17-24, head 9-11. Large cartilaginous flap on tip of lower jaw. Vand
A reduced to scale-like spines; A rays not visible in adult. Vertebrae
(45-48)+(105-117) = 152-164.
Attains about 1 m. This species had long been known
only from Klunzinger's types, but it was recently reported
from Japan, the South China Sea, the Andaman Sea and the
Mozambique Channel. Probably occurs in our area.
248.5 Tentoriceps cristatus: 30 em (drawn after Nakamura).
Genus Trichiurus Linnaeus, 1758
One species, though many local variations have been
recognised.
Cutlass fish
248.6 Trichiurus /epturus
Linnaeus, 1758
PLATE 128
Haarstert
Trichiurus lepturus Linnaeus, 1758: 246 (America and China); Smith.
Sf'SA No. 869*; Tucker, 1956: 114*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 133*; Parin &
Bekker, 1973: 462.
o III,124-138; A 11.105-108; P 10-12. Body elongate. strongly compressed and tapering to a fine point. Head with a prominent crest. Lower
rear margin of gill cover concave. Small cartilaginous knob on tip of each
jaw. A not apparent. with 2 minute, triangular spines and about 105 softrays reduced to minute spinules.
Attains 2 m. Cosmopolitan species of tropical and temperate waters, frequently thrown ashore along our coast
especially after storms. Benthopelagic, on continental shelf
and slope down to 350 m depth; often enters shallow coastal
waters and harbours.
248.6 Trichiurus lepturus: 35 em (Port Alfred).