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PERCOPH
1983
FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS
FISHING AREA 51
(W. Indian Ocean)
PERCOPHIDAE*
Duckbills
Elongate benthic fishes. Head depressed anteriorly, the snout flat and broad, resembling a duck's bill; mouth
large, lower jaw projecting in front of upper; maxilla exposed; eyes large, the space between them very narrow;
2 spines on opercle, one on subopercle; minute conical teeth on jaws and roof of mouth (vomer and palatines).
Two separate dorsal fins, the first with 6 slender spines and the second with 13 to 18 soft rays; pelvic fins with 1
weak spine and 5 branched rays, inserted well in advance of pectorals, their bases widely separated; anal fin
lacking spines, with 15 to 25 soft rays; pectoral fins with 20 to 28 rays. Scales on body ctenoid rough); lateral
line curves below first dorsal fin to below middle of side, the anteriormost 2 or 3 scales with a keel.
Colour: generally brownish; vague dusky blotches along body.
Bottom-living, carnivorous fishes occurring in depths of 100 to 600 m. Because of their small size and
limited abundance, they are of no commercial importance.
6 slender
spines
13 to 18 rays
snout flat
lower jaw
projecting
no spines, 15 to 25 rays
pelvic fins well
before pectorals
*Family diagnosis applies only to Bembrops and Chrionema
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FAO Sheets PERCOPHIDAE Fishing Area 51
SIMILAR FAMILIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:
Platycephalidae (flatheads): numerous spines
and bony ridges on head and 8 or 9 dorsal fin spines
(6 dorsal fin spines in Percophidae).
Platycephalidae
KEY TO GENERA OCCURRING IN THE AREA*:
1a. Triangular flap of skin on rear end of
maxilla .......................................................... Bembrops
1b. No flap on skin at end of maxilla .................... Chrionema
Bembrops
LIST OF SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:
(The genus Bembrops is in need of revision, and the synonymy given below is provisional. The names Bembrops
caudimacula and B. caudimaculata have erroneously been applied to the species in the Western Indian Ocean. B.
caudimacula (Steindachner, 1876) is a valid species known with certainty only from Japan.)
Bembrops platyrhynchus (Alcock, 1893)
= B. adenensis Norman, 1939
= B. nematopterus Norman, 1939
Chrionema chlorotaenia (McKay, 1971)
= C. chryseres (non Gilbert): Talwar, 1974
Osopsaron natalensis Nelson, 1982
Pteropsaron heemstrai Nelson, 1982
Prepared by P.C. Heemstra, J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology, Grahamstown, South Africa, and J.S. Nelson,
Department of Zoology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
*Osopsaron and Pteropsaron are represented in the Western Indian Ocean by 2 small species that are known
only from off the coast of Natal, South Africa. They may be distinguished from Bembrops and Chrionema by
the anteriorly-directed spine at the front end of the maxilla, lower jaw shorter than upper jaw, and only 1
spine on the opercle
PLATAC
1983
FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS
FISHING AREA 51
(W. Indian Ocean)
PLATACIDAE
Batfishes
(placed by some authors, together with the Drepanidae, in the family Ephippidae)
Body very deep, rhomboid and strongly compressed, much changing with age. Head much shorter than high,
with front profile more or less parabolic; mouth small, horizontal, terminal, scarcely protractile; teeth more or
less clearly tricuspid, disposed in brushlike bands in each jaw; roof of mouth usually toothless. A single,
unnotched dorsal fin, decreasing in size with age; spinous part poorly differentiated, with 3 to 9 spines, increasing
in size posteriorly and nearly concealed by the scaly covering of the fin; 23 to 40 soft rays; anal fin with 3 spines
and 22 to 30 soft rays; pectoral fins short, rounded; pelvic fins present, greatly produced, becoming shorter with
age. Lateral line arched, about concurrent with back. Scales small, finely ciliated, becoming minute on head and
vertical fins.
Colour: juveniles: nearly completely black, fringed with orange-red. Subadults and adults: silvery grey with
blackish vertical bars, the first through eye, fading with age.
spines increasing
in lenght
3 spines
juvenile
-2-
FAO Sheets PLATACIDAE Fishing Area 51
SIMILAR FAMILIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:
Ephippidae: dorsal fin with a deep notch; dorsal
spines produced.
Drepanidae: pectoral fins long and falcate; mouth
protrusible forming a downward-pointing tube; dorsal fin
spines shorter and stouter.
Scatophagidae: 4 anal spines and snout profile
concave.
Ephippidae
mouth
protusible
Drepanidae
Scatophagidae
KEY TO GENERA OCCURRING IN THE AREA*:
4 spines
Platax only.
KEY TO SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:
1a. Lateral line with 60 to 65 scales........................................ Platax pinnatus
1b. Lateral line with 50 to 55 scales.................................... Platax orbicularis
*Species poorly distinct
-3-
FAO Sheets PLATACIDAE Fishing Area 51
LIST OF SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:
Code numbers are given for those species for which Identification Sheets are included
Platax orbicularis Forsskål, 1775 PLATAC Plat 1
Platax innatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Prepared by A. Maugé, Ichtyologie Générale et Appliquée, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 43 rue Cuvier,
75231 Paris, Cedex 05, France
Revised by P.C. Heemstra, J.L.B. Museum of Ichthyology, Grahamstown, South Africa
Illustrations provided by author
PLATAC Plat 1
1983
FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS
FAMILY: PLATACIDAE FISHING AREA 51
(W. Indian Ocean)
Platax orbicularis (Forsskål, 1775)
OTHER SCIENTIFIC NAMES STILL IN USE: Platax vespertilio (Bloch, 1802)
VERNACULAR NAMES:
FAO: En - Batfish
Fr - Poule d'eau
Sp - Dalapugan
NATIONAL:
DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS:
Body deep, rhomboid, strongly compressed. Forehead profile somewhat angular; teeth tricuspid, movable, in
brushlike bands in each jaw; median cusp of each tooth prominently stronger. Dorsal fin with 5 concealed spines
and 36 or 37 soft rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 25 to 27 soft rays; pectoral fins short and rounded; pelvic fins
produced. Lateral line arched, with 50 to 55 scales. Scales finely ciliated, small, becoming minute on fins which
are densely covered.
Colour: adults silvery grey with blackish vertical bars fading with age.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS OF SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:
Platax pinnatus: 60 or more scales in lateral line (50 to 55 in P. orbicularis).
Species of Ephippidae: dorsal fin with prominent spines, produced; a deep notch separating spinous part
from soft part.
Species of Drepanidae: dorsal fin with 8 to 10 spines which are shorter and stouter (5 spines in P.
orbicularis); pectoral fins long, falcate, mouth protrusible, forming a downward-pointing tube when protruded.
Scatophagidae: 4 anal fin spines (3 in P. orbicularis); snout profile concave.
SIZE:
Maximum: 50 cm; common to 25 cm.
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND BEHAVIOUR:
From the Red Sea and east coast of Africa (southward to Port
Elisabeth) across the Western Indian Ocean to the coasts of Pakistan,
India and Sri Lanka. Outside the area, extending eastward through the
Eastern Indian Ocean/Western Central Pacific to China and Queens-
land (Australia).
Lives on coral reefs, in bays and along rocky shores, juveniles
occurring Occasionally in brackish waters. juvcniles often floating
motionless on the water surface.
PRESENT FISHING GROUNDS:
Throughout its range, but nowhere abundant.
CATCHES, FISHING GEAR AND FORMS OF UTILIZATION:
Separate statistics are not reported for this species.
Caught mainly with handlines and nets.
Edible and even palatable, but poorly favoured as food on
account of their foul feeding habits. Feebly marketed.
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