9a Margin of ventral flap convex, the V rudiment
not extending prominently beyond flap; mid-body
scales of adult represented by clumps of many
small spinules, giving skin a rather coarse feel .......... Stephanolepis
9b Margin of ventral flap straight to concave, the V
rudiment extending prominently beyond flap;
spinules on body scales of adult not clumped
together, the skin smooth to slightly
roughened ... .......... .......... ....... ............. ....... Paramonacanthus
Genus A/uterus Cloquet, 1816
D spine slender and feeble, often broken in capture; V
rudiment inconspicuous, usually lost with age. Four
species; 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la C usually shorter than snout; C peduncle longer
than deep; no blue lines and dashes on sides ............ A. monoceros
Ib C longer than snout ; C peduncle deeper than long;
longitudinal blue lines and dashes on sides ........ .... ...... A. scriptus
264.1 A/uterus monoceros
(Linnaeus, 1758)
PLATE 137
Unicorn leatherjacket
Eenhoring-Ieerbaadjie
Batistes monoceros Linnaeus, 1758: 327 (China). AIUlera monoceros:
Smith, SFSA No. 1152*; Berry & Vogele, 1961: 65*; Smith & Smith, 1966:
140*; Penrith, 1969: 235.
D 11+45-51; A 47-53; P 14. Snout profile slightly concave in juveniles,
convex in adults.
Sandy to grey in colour, often with numerous brown spots
on upper sides of body. Soft D and A pale yellowish to
brownish; C membranes blackish brown. Juveniles with a
reticulate pattern of pale lines enclosing grey blotches and
brown spots; this pattern may persist on small adults.
Attains 75 cm. Worldwide in tropical/subtropical seas; from
Saldanha Bay to Beira.
i~:
W
264.1 A/uterus monoceros: 40 em ry.J. of Port Elizabeth) and teeth.
264: MONACANTHIDAE (FILEFISHES)
264.2 A/uterus scriptus
(Osbeck, 1765)
PLATE 137
Scribbled leatherjacket
Bekrapte leerbaadjie
Batistes scriptus Osbeck, in Georgi, 1765: 145 (China). AIUlera scripta:
Berry & Vogele, 1961: 66*. Osbeckia scripta: Smith, SFSA No. 1153*;
Smith & Smith, 1966: 141 * (in part).
D II +43-49; A 46-52; P 13-15. Snout profile prominently concave.
Ground colour olive brown to grey. Pelagic juveniles may
be yellowish brown with dark spots. Attains 1 m.
Worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas, south to
Knysna.
Monotypic.
Genus Amanses Gray, 1835
264.3 Amanses scopas
(Cuvier, 1829)
Broom filefish
Besem-vylvis
Batistes scopas Cuvier, in Cuv. & Val., 1829: 373 (Mauritius). Amanses
scopas: Smith, 1955: 26*; 1961: 572, No. 1145a*.
D II+26-29; A 22-25; P 13. First D spine over front Yz of eye, with
minute posteriorly-directed barbs along each posterolateral edge; deep
groove for reception of 1st D spine; V rudiment fixed, projecting prominently beyond ventral flap.
Colour brown with up to 12 narrow dark brown crossbars
on mid-side of body; C dark brown; soft D, A and P pale,
lips dark brown. Attains 20 cm. Tropical Indo-West Pacific,
except Hawaii; south to Maputo.
264.3 Amanses scopas: top: 20 em male (Zanzibar); bottom: 18 em female
(Seychelles).
883
not extending prominently beyond flap; mid-body
scales of adult represented by clumps of many
small spinules, giving skin a rather coarse feel .......... Stephanolepis
9b Margin of ventral flap straight to concave, the V
rudiment extending prominently beyond flap;
spinules on body scales of adult not clumped
together, the skin smooth to slightly
roughened ... .......... .......... ....... ............. ....... Paramonacanthus
Genus A/uterus Cloquet, 1816
D spine slender and feeble, often broken in capture; V
rudiment inconspicuous, usually lost with age. Four
species; 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la C usually shorter than snout; C peduncle longer
than deep; no blue lines and dashes on sides ............ A. monoceros
Ib C longer than snout ; C peduncle deeper than long;
longitudinal blue lines and dashes on sides ........ .... ...... A. scriptus
264.1 A/uterus monoceros
(Linnaeus, 1758)
PLATE 137
Unicorn leatherjacket
Eenhoring-Ieerbaadjie
Batistes monoceros Linnaeus, 1758: 327 (China). AIUlera monoceros:
Smith, SFSA No. 1152*; Berry & Vogele, 1961: 65*; Smith & Smith, 1966:
140*; Penrith, 1969: 235.
D 11+45-51; A 47-53; P 14. Snout profile slightly concave in juveniles,
convex in adults.
Sandy to grey in colour, often with numerous brown spots
on upper sides of body. Soft D and A pale yellowish to
brownish; C membranes blackish brown. Juveniles with a
reticulate pattern of pale lines enclosing grey blotches and
brown spots; this pattern may persist on small adults.
Attains 75 cm. Worldwide in tropical/subtropical seas; from
Saldanha Bay to Beira.
i~:
W
264.1 A/uterus monoceros: 40 em ry.J. of Port Elizabeth) and teeth.
264: MONACANTHIDAE (FILEFISHES)
264.2 A/uterus scriptus
(Osbeck, 1765)
PLATE 137
Scribbled leatherjacket
Bekrapte leerbaadjie
Batistes scriptus Osbeck, in Georgi, 1765: 145 (China). AIUlera scripta:
Berry & Vogele, 1961: 66*. Osbeckia scripta: Smith, SFSA No. 1153*;
Smith & Smith, 1966: 141 * (in part).
D II +43-49; A 46-52; P 13-15. Snout profile prominently concave.
Ground colour olive brown to grey. Pelagic juveniles may
be yellowish brown with dark spots. Attains 1 m.
Worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas, south to
Knysna.
Monotypic.
Genus Amanses Gray, 1835
264.3 Amanses scopas
(Cuvier, 1829)
Broom filefish
Besem-vylvis
Batistes scopas Cuvier, in Cuv. & Val., 1829: 373 (Mauritius). Amanses
scopas: Smith, 1955: 26*; 1961: 572, No. 1145a*.
D II+26-29; A 22-25; P 13. First D spine over front Yz of eye, with
minute posteriorly-directed barbs along each posterolateral edge; deep
groove for reception of 1st D spine; V rudiment fixed, projecting prominently beyond ventral flap.
Colour brown with up to 12 narrow dark brown crossbars
on mid-side of body; C dark brown; soft D, A and P pale,
lips dark brown. Attains 20 cm. Tropical Indo-West Pacific,
except Hawaii; south to Maputo.
264.3 Amanses scopas: top: 20 em male (Zanzibar); bottom: 18 em female
(Seychelles).
883