249: SCOMBRIDAE (TUNAS. MACKERELS & BONITOS)
249.12 Scomberomorus commerson: 115 em (Kenya).
249.12 Scomberomorus commerson
(Lacepede, 1800)
PLATE 131
King mackerel
Katonkel
Scomber commerson Lacepede , 1800: 598, PI. 20 , Fig. 1 (after a figure
from Commerson's manuscripts; locality unknown). Scomberomorus
commerson: Smith. SFSA No. 840*; Collette & Russo, 1979: 9. Scomberomorus commersoni: Smith. 1964: 175*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 72*;
Collette & Nauen. 1983: 63*
D XV-XVIII + 16-18+9-10 finlets; A 17-L9+9-1O finlets; P 21-23; GR
(0-1)+(3-5) = 3-6; vertebrae (19-20)+(23-25) = 42-45. Depth 5.0-6.3 ;
head 4.3-5.1; P 7.4-8.3. Jaw teeth large , triangular and compressed , 12-31
on each side of upper , 9-23 on each side of lower jaw; vomer and palatines
with teeth. Body covered with moderate-sized cycloid scales; no distinct
corseLet.
Attains 220 cm FL. The all-tackle angling record is a
46.4 kg fish caught off Ifafa, Natal in 1983. Epipelagic, neritic; often caught near Algoa Bay and Mossel Bay; there is a
1944 record of a large school in False Bay. Wrongly called
"baracouta", "cuda", "couta" or "barracouda" by some
anglers in Natal; the true barracudas are in the Family
Sphyraenidae. Widespread throughout Red Sea and IndoWest Pacific.
249.13 Scomberomorus plurilineatus
Fourmanoir, 1966
PLATE 131
Queen mackerel
Gespikkelde katonkel
Scomberomorus leopardus (non Shaw): Smith, SFSA No. 841*. Scomberomorus lineolatus (non Cuvier): Williams, 1960: 183*. Scomberomorus guttatus (non Bloch & Schneider): Smith, 1964: 176* ; Smith &
Smith , 1966: 73* Scomberomorus plurilineatus Fourmanoir, 1966: 223,
Fig. I (Madagascar); Collette & Russo, 1979: 13; Collette & Nauen, 1983:
73*; Collette & van der Elst, 1984.
249.13 Scomberomorus plurilineatus: 77.5 em (off Natal).
836
D XV-XVI+19-21+8-1O finLets ; A 19-22+8-10 finlets ; P 22-25 ; GR
(2-3)+(9-13) = 12-15; vertebrae (19-20)+(25-29) = 45-46. Depth 4.4-4.5;
head 4.5-5.7; P 8.0-10.2. Jaw teeth large, triangular and compressed,
13-23 on each side of upper, 12-19 on each side of lower jaw .
Body covered with moderate-sized scales; no distinct
corselet. Attains 120 cm FL; South African angling record
10 kg. Epipelagic, neritic. Confined to western Indian
Ocean from Tsitsikama to Kenya and Madagascar west
coast.
Genus Thunnus South, 1845
Seven species; 5 in our area. Reports of Thunnus
atlanticus (Lesson, 1831), which is confined to the western
Atlantic, appear to have been based on misidentified specimens of T. obesus.
KEY TO SPECIES
La Ventral surface of liver without striations, right
lobe longer than other 2 Lobes; 2nd D and A
long (over 20% FL in some large adults) ....... ..... .... .. T. albacares
Liver of T. albacares
Liver of T. alalunga
Ib Ventral surface of liver covered with striations, 3 lobes
subequal or centre lobe longest; 2nd D and A short ... .. ............. 2
2a GR 31-44; P less than 80% head length ; not reaching
vertical at last D spine ...................... .. ...................... .. .. ... .. 3
2b GR 23-31 (26-31 in our area); P more than 80% head
length, reaching at least to 2nd D .......... ................. ............... 4
249.12 Scomberomorus commerson: 115 em (Kenya).
249.12 Scomberomorus commerson
(Lacepede, 1800)
PLATE 131
King mackerel
Katonkel
Scomber commerson Lacepede , 1800: 598, PI. 20 , Fig. 1 (after a figure
from Commerson's manuscripts; locality unknown). Scomberomorus
commerson: Smith. SFSA No. 840*; Collette & Russo, 1979: 9. Scomberomorus commersoni: Smith. 1964: 175*; Smith & Smith, 1966: 72*;
Collette & Nauen. 1983: 63*
D XV-XVIII + 16-18+9-10 finlets; A 17-L9+9-1O finlets; P 21-23; GR
(0-1)+(3-5) = 3-6; vertebrae (19-20)+(23-25) = 42-45. Depth 5.0-6.3 ;
head 4.3-5.1; P 7.4-8.3. Jaw teeth large , triangular and compressed , 12-31
on each side of upper , 9-23 on each side of lower jaw; vomer and palatines
with teeth. Body covered with moderate-sized cycloid scales; no distinct
corseLet.
Attains 220 cm FL. The all-tackle angling record is a
46.4 kg fish caught off Ifafa, Natal in 1983. Epipelagic, neritic; often caught near Algoa Bay and Mossel Bay; there is a
1944 record of a large school in False Bay. Wrongly called
"baracouta", "cuda", "couta" or "barracouda" by some
anglers in Natal; the true barracudas are in the Family
Sphyraenidae. Widespread throughout Red Sea and IndoWest Pacific.
249.13 Scomberomorus plurilineatus
Fourmanoir, 1966
PLATE 131
Queen mackerel
Gespikkelde katonkel
Scomberomorus leopardus (non Shaw): Smith, SFSA No. 841*. Scomberomorus lineolatus (non Cuvier): Williams, 1960: 183*. Scomberomorus guttatus (non Bloch & Schneider): Smith, 1964: 176* ; Smith &
Smith , 1966: 73* Scomberomorus plurilineatus Fourmanoir, 1966: 223,
Fig. I (Madagascar); Collette & Russo, 1979: 13; Collette & Nauen, 1983:
73*; Collette & van der Elst, 1984.
249.13 Scomberomorus plurilineatus: 77.5 em (off Natal).
836
D XV-XVI+19-21+8-1O finLets ; A 19-22+8-10 finlets ; P 22-25 ; GR
(2-3)+(9-13) = 12-15; vertebrae (19-20)+(25-29) = 45-46. Depth 4.4-4.5;
head 4.5-5.7; P 8.0-10.2. Jaw teeth large, triangular and compressed,
13-23 on each side of upper, 12-19 on each side of lower jaw .
Body covered with moderate-sized scales; no distinct
corselet. Attains 120 cm FL; South African angling record
10 kg. Epipelagic, neritic. Confined to western Indian
Ocean from Tsitsikama to Kenya and Madagascar west
coast.
Genus Thunnus South, 1845
Seven species; 5 in our area. Reports of Thunnus
atlanticus (Lesson, 1831), which is confined to the western
Atlantic, appear to have been based on misidentified specimens of T. obesus.
KEY TO SPECIES
La Ventral surface of liver without striations, right
lobe longer than other 2 Lobes; 2nd D and A
long (over 20% FL in some large adults) ....... ..... .... .. T. albacares
Liver of T. albacares
Liver of T. alalunga
Ib Ventral surface of liver covered with striations, 3 lobes
subequal or centre lobe longest; 2nd D and A short ... .. ............. 2
2a GR 31-44; P less than 80% head length ; not reaching
vertical at last D spine ...................... .. ...................... .. .. ... .. 3
2b GR 23-31 (26-31 in our area); P more than 80% head
length, reaching at least to 2nd D .......... ................. ............... 4