List of marine Perciform fishes of South Africa

This is a sub-list of the List of marine spiny-finned fishes of South Africa for perch-like fishes recorded from the oceans bordering South Africa. This list comprises locally used common names, scientific names with author citation and recorded ranges. Ranges specified may not be the entire known range for the species, but should include the known range within the waters surrounding the Republic of South Africa.

Map of the Southern African coastline showing some of the landmarks referred to in species range statements

List ordering and taxonomy complies where possible with the current usage in Wikispecies, and may differ from the cited source, as listed citations are primarily for range or existence of records for the region. Sub-taxa within any given taxon are arranged alphabetically as a general rule. Synonyms may be listed where useful.

Perciformes /ˈpɜːrsɪfɔːrmz/, also called the Percomorpha or Acanthopteri, is an order or superorder of ray-finned fish. If considered a single order, they are the most numerous order of vertebrates, containing about 41% of all bony fish. Perciformes means "perch-like". This group comprises over 10,000 species found in almost all aquatic ecosystems.

The order contains about 160 families, which is the most of any order within the vertebrates. It is also the most variably sized order of vertebrates, ranging from the 7-mm (1/4-in) Schindleria brevipinguis to the 5-m (16.4 ft) marlin in the genus Makaira. They first appeared and diversified in the Late Cretaceous.

Among the well-known members of this group are perch and darters (Percidae), sea bass and groupers (Serranidae). (Full article...)


Order Perciformes

Family: Acanthuridae Surgeonfishes and unicornfishes

Subfamily: Acanthurinae Surgeonfishes

Subfamily: Nasinae Unicornfishes

Family: Ephippidae Batfishes

Family: Luvaridae Louvar

  • Louvar Luvarus imperialis Rafinesque, 1810 (All oceans and Mediterranean sea, Not reported in polar seas or near equator)[1]

Family: Scatophagidae Scatties

  • Scatty Scatophagus tetracanthus (Lacepède, 1802) (Indo-West Pacific south to Durban)[1]

Family: Siganidae Rabbitfishes

  • Starspotted rabbitfish Siganus stellatus (Forsskål, 1775) (Kosi Bay north to Red Sea)[1]
  • Whitespotted rabbitfish Siganus sutor (Valenciennes, 1835) (Western Indian Ocean, stragglers as far south as Knysna)[1][2]

Family: Zanclidae Moorish idol

Family: Blenniidae Blennies

Family: Clinidae Klipfishes

Family: Tripterygiidae Threefin blennies or Triplefins

Family: Callionymidae Dragonets

Family: Gobiesocidae Clingfishes

Family: Eleotridae Sleepers

Family: Gobiidae Gobies

Subfamily Amblyopinae
Subfamily Gobiinae
  • Mangrove goby Acentrogobius audax Smith, 1959 (Natal)[1]
  • Pinkbar goby Amblyeleotris aurora (Polunin & Lubbock, 1977) (Islands of western Indian Ocean from Maldives southwards and northern Natal)[1]
  • Gorgeous goby Amblyeleotris wheeleri (Polunin & Lubbock, 1977) (Indo-West Pacific south to Sodwana Bay)[1]
  • Butterfly goby Amblygobius albimaculatus (Rüppell, 1830) (Read sea south to Durban)[1]
  • Starryfin goby Asterropteryx semipunctatus Rüppell, 1830 (Ind-Pacific south to Durban)[1]
  • Bearded goby Barbuligobius boehlkei Lachler & McKinney, 1974 (Tropical Indo-West Pacific south to Sodwana Bay)[1]
  • Whitespotted goby Bathygobius albopunctataus(Valenciennes, 1837) (Inhaca south to Transkei)[1]
  • Cocos frillgoby Bathygobius cocosensis (Bleeker, 1854) (Indo-Pacific south to Transkei)[1]
  • Cheekscaled frillgoby Bathygobius cotticeps (Steindachner, 1880) (Indo-Pacific south to Coffee Bay)[1]
  • Spotted frillgoby Bathygobius cyclopterus (Valenciennes, 1837) (Tropical Indo-West Pacific south to Transkei)[1]
  • Brownboy goby Bathygobius laddi (Fowler, 1931) (Inhaca to Coffee Bay)[1]
  • Black minigoby Bathygobius niger (Smith, 1960) (Transkei to Natal, also India and Sri-Lanka)[1]
  • Brownlined goby Bathygobius sp. (Indo-West Pacific south to Xora River)[1]
  • Agulhas goby Caffrogobius agulhensis (Barnard, 1927) (False Bay to East London)[1]
  • Banded goby Caffrogobius caffer (Günther, 1874) (Natal to False Bay)[1][2]
  • Prison goby Caffrogobius gilchristi (Boulenger, 1898) (Table Bay to Mozambique Island)[1][2](syn. Caffrogobius multifasciatus)
  • Baldy Caffrogobius natalensis (Günther, 1874) (Knysna to Natal)[1]
  • Barehead goby Caffrogobius nudiceps (Valenciennes, 1827) (Walvis Bay to East London)[1][2]
  • Commafin goby Caffrogobius saldanha (Barnard, 1927) (Saldanha Bay to southern Transkei)[1]
  • Pacific goby Callogobius sclateri (Steindachner, 1880) (Sodwana Bay and tropical Pacific)[1]
  • Kaalpens goby Coryogalops william (Smith, 1948) (Inhaca to Still Bay)[1](syn. Monishia william (Smith, 1947))
  • Naked goby Croilia mossambica Smith, 1955 (Southern Mozambique to south of Durban)[1][3]
  • Sailfin goby Cryptocentrus pretoriusi Smith, 1958 (Known only from Pondoland)[1]
  • Blackthroat goby Favonigobius melanobranchus (Fowler, 1934) (Indo-West Pacific south to Natal)[1]
  • Tropical sand goby Favonigobius reichei Bleeker, 1953 (Indo-West Pacific south to Natal)[1]
  • Barenape goby Fusigobius duospilus Hoese & Reader, 1985 (Indo-West Pacific south to Sodwana Bay)[1]
  • Longspine goby Fusigobius longispinus Goren, 1978 (Kenya to Durban)[1]
  • Sleepy goby Glossogobius biocellatus (Valenciennes, 1837) (Indo-Pacific south to East London)[1]
  • River goby Glossogobius callidus (Smith, 1937) (Aldabra, Mozambique, south to Port Elizabeth)[1]
  • Tank goby Glossogobius giuris (Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822) (Indo-West Pacific south to Port St. Johns)[1]
  • Rippled coralgoby Gobiodon rivulatus (Rüppell) (Indo-West Pacific south to Sodwana Bay)[1]
  • Poreless goby Hetereleotris apora (Hoese and Winterbottom, 1979) (Sodwana Bay)[1]
  • Locusthead Hetereleotris tentaculata (Seychelles and Sodwana Bay)[1]
  • Goggles Hetereleotris zonata (Fowler, 1934) (Natal to Port Alfred)[1]
  • Smoothscale goby Hetereleotris margaretae Hoese, 1986 (Known only from Sodwana Bay)[1]
  • Decorated goby Istigobius decoratus (Herre, 1927) (Indo-West Pacific south to Durban)[1]
  • Pearl goby Istigobius spence (Smith, 1946) (Indo-West Pacific south to Sodwana Bay)[1]
  • Taileyed goby Parachaeturichthyus polynema (Bleeker, 1953) (Indo-West Pacific south to Natal)[1]
  • Redhead goby Paragobiodon echinocephalus (Rüppell, 1830) (Indo-West Pacific, associated with Stylophora coral)[1]
  • Backfin goby Paragobiodon lacunicolis (Kendall & Goldsborough, 1911) (Indo-Pacific)[1]
  • Emerald goby Paragobiodon xanthosomus (Bleeker, 1852) (Indo-West Pacific, associated with the coral Seriatopora hystrix)[1]
  • Scalynape goby Pleurosicya annandalei (Hornell & Fowler, 1922) (Sodwana Bay)[1]
  • Toothy goby Pleurosicya mossambica (Smith, 1959) (Sodwana Bay, Mozambique, Seychelles and tropical Indo-West Pacific)[1]
  • Pleurosicya sp. 1 (Sodwana Bay, Seychelles, Chagos archipelago, tropical Indian Ocean and western tropical Pacific)[1]
  • Convict goby Priolepis cincta (Regan, 1908) (Indo-West Pacific south to Natal)[1]
  • Sodwana goby Priolepis sp. (Indo-West Pacific south to Sodwana Bay)[1]
  • Knysna sandgoby Psammogobius knysnaensis Smith, 1935 (Port Nolloth to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[1][2]
  • Barebreast goby Silhouettia sibayi Farquharson, 1970 (Known only from Lake Sibayi and Kosi Bay)[1]
  • Pelagic goby Sufflogobius bibarbatus (von Bonde, 1923) (Port Nolloth to Saldanha Bay)[1]
  • Polkadot goby Trimma corallina (Smith, 1969) (Phinda to Sodwana Bay)[1]
  • Flame goby Trimma macrophthalma (Tomiyama, 1936) (Indo-West Pacific south to Sodwana Bay)[1]
  • Pennant glider Valencienna strigata (Broussonet, 1787) (Indo-Pacific south to Sodwana Bay[1]
  • Shadow goby Yongeichthys nebulosus (Forsskål, 1775) (Western tropical Pacific and Indian oceans south to Durban)[1]
Subfamily Gobionellinae
Subfamily Oxudercinae


Family: Microdesmidae Gobies

Subfamilia: Ptereleotrinae

  • Fire goby Nemateleotris magnifica Fowler, 1938 (Sodwana Bay and Comores to Marquesas islands)[1][2]
  • Scissortail Ptereleotris evides (Jordan & Hubbs, 1925) (Red Sea south to Natal)[1]
  • Blacktail goby Ptereleotris heteroptera (Bleeker, 1855) (Indo-Pacific south to Natal)[1]
  • Sad glider Ptereleotris lineopinnis (Fowler, 1935) (Umzumbi, Natal, 1 specimen)[1]


Family: Cichlidae Cichlids

Family: Labridae Wrasses

Family: Pomacentridae Damselfishes

Family: Scaridae Parrotfishes

Suborder: Percoidei

See article List of marine fishes of the suborder Percoidei of South Africa

Family: Gempylidae Snake mackerels

Family: Istiophoridae Sailfish, spearfishes and marlins

Family: Scombridae Tunas, mackerels and bonitos

Subfamily: Gasterochismatinae

Subfamily: Scombrinae

Family: Sphyraenidae Barracudas

Family: Trichiuridae Frostfishes

  • Aphanopus mikhailini Parin, 1983 (Walters shoal)[1]
  • Slender frostfish Benthodesmus elongatus elongatus (Clarke, 1879) (New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, once found off Natal)[1]
  • Buttersnoek Lepidopus caudatus (Euphrasen, 1788) (Mediterranean, eastern Atlantic from Norway to South Africa, Australia and new Zealand)[1]
  • Cutlass fish Trichiurus lepturus Linnaeus, 1758 (Cosmopolitan in tropical and temperate waters)[1]

Family: Xiphiidae Swordfishes


Family: Centrolophidae Ruffs

  • Black ruff Centrolophus niger (Gmelin, 1789) (Temperate waters of Australia, New Zealand, South America and South Africa, also North Atlantic and Mediterranean)[1]
  • Antarctic butterfish Hyperoglypha antarctica (Carmichael, 1818) (Temperate waters; islands of south Atlantic and southern Indian oceans; New Zealand, southern Australia and South Africa)[1]
  • Schedophilus huttoni (Waite, 1910) (Circumglobal in southern ocean, taken off Cape Town, common off Namibia)[1]
  • Black butterfish or Peregrine driftfishSchedophilus velaini (Sauvage, 1879) (Gulf of Guinea, to South Africa)[1](syn. Hyperoglypha moselii (Cunningham, 1910))
  • Flabby driftfish Tubbia tasmanica Whitley, 1943 (Temperate waters of Southern Ocean; New Zealand, Tasmania and South Africa off Natal)[1]

Family: Nomeidae Driftfishes

  • Black fathead Cubiceps baxteri McCulloch, 1923 (Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans)[1]
  • Blue fathead Cubiceps caeruleus Regan, 1914 (Southern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans)[1]
  • Cape fathead Cubiceps capensis (Smith, 1845) (Probably circumglobal in southern hemisphere)[1]
  • Longfin fathead Cubiceps pauciradiatus Günther, 1872 (Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans)[1]
  • Bluebottle fish Nomeus gronovi Gmelin, 1789 (Circumglobal in warm waters)[1]
  • Banded driftfish Psenes arafurensis Günther, 1889 (Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean)[1]
  • Freckled driftfish Psenes cyanophrys Valenciennes, 1883 (Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans)[1]
  • Silver driftfish Psenes maculatus Lütken, 1880 (Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans)[1]
  • Blackrag Psenes pellucidus Lütken, 1880 (Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans)[1]
  • Shadow driftfish Psenes whiteleggi Waite, 1894 (Indian Ocean and Australia)[1]

Family: Ariommatidae

  • Indian driftfish Ariomma indica (Day, 1870) (Mossel Bay eastwards to Southern Japan)[1]

Family: Tetragonuridae Squaretails

  • Bigeye squaretail Tetragonuris atlanticus Lowe, 1839 (Atlantic Pacific and Indian oceans)[1]
  • Smalleye squaretail Tetragonuris cuvieri Risso, 1810 (off Natal)[1]

Family: Stromateidae

  • Blue butterfish Stromateus fiatola Linnaeus, 1758 (Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean round the Cape to Natal)[1]

Family: Ammodytidae Sandlances

Family: Champsodontidae Gapers

Family: Chiasmodontidae Swallowers

  • Chiasmodon niger Johnson, 1863 (Tropical/subtropical in the three major oceans)[1]
  • Kali macrodon (Norman, 1929) (Tropical/subtropical in the three major oceans, taken off Cape Town and Natal)[1]

Family: Creediidae Sand burrowers


Family: Percophidae Duckbills

  • Bembrops platyrhynchus (Alcock, 1893) (off Natal)[1]
  • Osopseron natalensis Nelson, 1982 (3 specimens off Kosi Bay)[1]
  • Pteropsaron heemstrai Nelson, 1982 (2 specimens off southern Natal)[1]

Family: Pinguipedidae Sandsmelts

  • Blacktail sandsmelt Parapercis hexopthalma (Ehrenberg, 1829) (Red Sea to Durban)[1]
  • Deepwater sandsmelt Parapercis maritzi Anderson, 1992 (Natal and Transkei)[1]
  • Spotted sandsmelt Parapercis punctulata (Cuvier, 1829) (Northern Natal)[1]
  • Smallscale sandsmelt Parapercis robinsoni Fowler, 1929 (Persian Gulf to Algoa Bay)[1]
  • Rosy sandsmelt Parapercis schauinslandii (Steindachner, 1900) (Hawaii, Seychelles, Comores, and Durban)[1]
  • Blotchlip sandsmelt Parapercis xanthozona Bleeker, 1849 (Indo-West Pacific, 2 specimens from Natal)[1]


Family: Trichonotidae Sand divers

Family: Uranoscopidae Stargazers

Family: Zoarcidae Eelpouts

References

  1. Ed. Smith, Margaret M, and Heemstra, P. Smith's sea fishes. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Grahamstown. Struik publishers, Cape Town, 2003.
  2. Branch, G.M. Griffiths, C.L. Branch, M.L. Beckley, L.E. Two Oceans: A guide to the marine life of southern Africa. 5th impression, David Philip, Cape Town, 2000. ISBN 0-86486-250-4
  3. Smith, J.L.B. 1959. Gobioid fishes of the families Gobiidae, Periophthalmidae, Trypauchenidae, Taenioididae, and Kraemeriidae of the Western Indian Ocean. Ichthyological Bulletin; No. 13. Department of Ichthyology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
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