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Coastal fishes of the western Indian Ocean

  • Authors: Heemstra, Phillip C. 1941- , Heemstra, Elaine , Ebert, Dave , Holleman, Wouter , Randall, John E
  • Date: 2022
  • Subjects: Marine fishes Indian Ocean , Marine fishes Indian Ocean Identification
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , book
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/310495 , vital:59157 , ISBN 978-1-990951-23-7 , ISBN 978-1-998950-35-5 , ISBN 978-1-990951-28-2
  • Description: The primary purpose of this book is to provide a means of identifying the more than 3 200 species of coastal fishes known to occur in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Coastal fishes are those that inhabit waters generally less than ~200 m deep, the waters over continental and insular shelves, and upper continental slopes. The book also includes some oceanic species and species that live in deeper water, but are sometimes caught in trawls in less than 200 m, or that migrate into shallower waters at night to feed. The Western Indian Ocean (WIO), as treated in these volumes, is the area between Cape Point, South Africa, and 77°34' E, at Kanyakumari (formerly Cape Cormorin), the southernmost point of India, and to 40° S, just south of St Paul Island. Although considered as separate water bodies, the Red Sea and Persian/Arabian Gulf have been included. Some contributors have also chosen to include species from Sri Lanka. The region thus encompasses the entire east and southern coasts of Africa, Madagascar and the various island clusters of the Comoros, the Seychelles, the Maldive and Lakshadweep islands, the Chagos Archipelago and the islands and sea mounts of the Mascarene Plateau, to as far as 40° S, and thus some fishes from St Paul and Amsterdam Islands have been included. This large expanse, stretching from tropical waters of the northwestern Indian Ocean to the warm temperate waters of False Bay, South Africa, includes a number of poorly known biogeographic areas. A map of the entire Indian Ocean is placed on the inside front cover of each printed volume, with some areas in greater detail on the inside back cover. The book does not include distribution maps for species, but gives localities from which species are known, with emphasis on WIO localities; our understanding of distributions of many species is often incomplete. Fishes are the most abundant and diverse group of vertebrates and have colonised every aquatic habitat on Earth: the oceans, lakes, rivers and caves, from polar seas at –2 °C to hot, freshwater springs at 44 °C, and from tropical reefs and mangrove forests to the deepest ocean depths. Fishes are also the most poorly known group of vertebrates. In the 2006 edition of Joseph Nelson’s Fishes of the World the estimate of the number of species of extant fishes worldwide stood at about 23 000. This number is growing annually, and was thought to be about 33 460 species at the end of 2016 (www.fishwisepro.com). Between the years 2000 and 2015 an average of 150 new species of marine fishes were described each year – of which 10% of the total (156 species) were from the WIO. The WIO is home to about 15% of all the marine fish species in the world’s oceans. Another measure of the diversity of fishes of this area is its relatively high level of endemicity, particularly around southern Africa and in the Red Sea. About 13% of southern African marine fishes are endemic, most of these in only five families: Clinidae with about 44 endemic species, Gobiidae with 28, Sparidae with 28, Pentanchidae with 6, and Batrachoididae with 7 endemic species. In the Red Sea at least 170 of the more than 1100 species are endemic. The WIO region is also home to a large human population, representing a wide range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The area includes the countries of South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, as well as the many island nations and territories. Many of the people living in coastal areas are dependent on fish catches and other marine resources for both sustenance and often a livelihood, as highly diversified artisanal fisheries make up the bulk of the fishing effort in the region. And, as elsewhere in the world, many of the fish resources have been compromised by commercial interests (including those of other countries), often leaving fish stocks in a poor state. This book has a number of purposes, all of which coalesce around providing users with a better understanding of the area’s fishes and their environment. Accordingly, it includes a number of background chapters covering subjects as diverse as the oceanography of the region, and the history and evolution of the bony fishes. In recent years genetic analysis has proved to be a powerful tool for taxonomists. In many instances molecular results have caused taxonomists to rethink both the definitions of certain taxa and the interrelationships of taxa. In some instances, what were long considered cohesive (monophyletic) taxa were found to include groups of fishes that are in fact not closely related (paraphyletic), while in other instances taxa thought to be distinct were found not to be, meriting their merging with other existing taxa. At times, long-accepted family groups have been divided into two or more distinct families, or separate families have been combined into a single one. Where possible such changes in our understanding of the relationships of fishes are reflected in these volumes. Where some contributors have taken a more conservative approach by awaiting more research and not adopting these changes, alternative taxonomies are noted (see also the introductory chapter on Naming organisms and determining their relationships). For each species in the book, the literature pertinent to that species in the WIO is given: the original species description reference, synonyms for the region and other important taxonomic and biological references. For many commercially important species or fishes of interest to anglers there is additional information on life history, size and capture, and for some but not all species, their IUCN conservation status if Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (in the first instance, valid at the time of writing. See www.iucnredlist.org for current information. Note: we have not included the IUCN conservation status where species are of Least Concern or Data Deficient). Most species are illustrated with photographs, drawings or paintings. Colour photographs and paintings are provided on plates for each volume. , 1st Edition
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Fishes of Southern African estuaries: from species to systems

  • Authors: Whitfield, Alan K
  • Date: 2022
  • Subjects: Estuarine fishes -- South Africa , Estuarine fishes -- Africa, Southern , Fishes -- Africa, Southern -- Identification , Estuaries -- Africa, Southern
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , book
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/97933 , vital:31512
  • Description: South Africa, despite its relatively small size, is often called “a world in one country”. This phrase arises mainly from the range of oceanographic and climatic features; geological and geomorphological attributes, the diversity of human cultures, languages, races and religions; the mix of developed and developing economies; the wide range in political opinion and parties; the vast array of mineral resources; and finally, what biologists find most interesting of all, the richness of the indigenous flora and fauna. Although southern African aquatic scientists cannot boast an equivalent of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the stretch of coast between northern Namibia and southern Mozambique has a particularly rich marine biota, accounting for almost 15% of all the coastal marine species known world-wide. The richness of the ichthyofauna is due to a number of factors, including the variety of habitats around the subcontinent, ranging from coral reefs, kelp beds, sheltered bays, sandy beaches, exposed rocky shores, coastal lakes to estuaries. In addition, southern Africa is the meeting place of three great oceans and is thus the recipient of species from each of these separate faunas. In comparison to land vertebrates, the world’s fish fauna is by no means well-known, either taxonomically or with regard to the biology of the component species. Apart from the very large number of fish species (estimated to be approximately 40 000), and the difficulties posed by the medium in which they live, there are other reasons for the above state of affairs. An obvious and universal reason is the shortage of funding available for taxonomic, biological and ecological studies, with increasing emphasis being placed on aquaculture, mariculture and fisheries related work. This situation is unlikely to improve and many research institutions around the world are operating on shrinking rather than expanding budgets. The onus of responsibility to disseminate information on the world’s fish faunas therefore rests squarely on the shoulders of those who are fortunate enough to be employed in the fascinating field of ichthyology. This book, which is a major revision and expansion of an earlier monograph (Whitfield 1998), is an attempt to synthesize the available information on fishes associated with southern African estuaries and to highlight the importance of conserving these systems for both fishes and people of the region. Limited reference is made to international estuarine fish research due to space constraints and readers are referred to global ichthyological reviews in this regard. The estuaries of southern Africa (defined as south of 26°S latitude for the purposes of this book) are highly diverse, both in terms of form and functioning. They range from the clear Kosi Estuary entering the coral rich subtropical Indian Ocean waters on the east coast, to the turbid Orange River flowing into the cool upwelled waters of the Atlantic Ocean on the west coast. The estuaries of the subcontinent are fed by catchments with a wide variety of climatic and geological characteristics. For example, the cool-temperate west coast is characterized by good winter rains and relatively dry summers, whereas on the subtropical east coast the opposite rainfall pattern prevails. While most south-western Cape estuaries are fed by rivers with low suspended sediment levels, those of KwaZulu-Natal normally carry high silt loads during the rainy season. Between Mossel Bay and St Francis Bay, rainfall patterns show no distinct seasonal peak and relatively acidic waters with low nutrient levels enter a variety of estuarine types along this section of the coast. The Eastern Cape is a region of transition between the subtropical and warm-temperate biogeographic provinces, and is prone to both droughts and floods occurring during any season of the year. The southern African estuarine environment is an unpredictable and often harsh habitat to occupy, yet each year millions of larval and juvenile fishes enter and thrive in these systems. The fish species that utilize estuaries as nursery areas exhibit great diversity in size, body form, salinity tolerance, diet, habitat preference and breeding behaviour. There is also a complete gradation in terms of the dependence that each species has on the estuarine environment. These and many other issues relating to the biology and ecology of estuary-associated fish species in southern Africa are explored in the chapters to follow. It is my sincere wish that our improved knowledge of these species and their environmental requirements will contribute to the wise management and conservation of these valuable ecosystems. , 2022 Edition
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The Fishes of Zimbabwe and their Biology

  • Authors: Marshall, Brian
  • Date: 2010
  • Subjects: Estuarine fishes -- Zimbabwe , Estuarine fishes -- Africa, Southern , Fishes -- Africa, Southern -- Identification , Estuaries -- Africa, Southern
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , book
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/167948 , vital:41524
  • Description: The first comprehensive book on the fishes of Zimbabwe appeared in 1961 and was written by Rex Jubb. He followed it with a major treatise on the fishes of southern Africa published in 1967. These books were published at a time when interest in fishes – partly stimulated by the creation of Lake Kariba –was growing, and they were welcomed by anglers and scientists alike. Zimbabwean ichthyology progressed rapidly during the years following their publication and knowledge about our fishes grew steadily. New insights and understanding of their systematics led to numerous taxonomic revisions, bringing with them inevitable changes to their scientific names. At the same time increased collecting meant that new species were being added to the Zimbabwean list. By the early 1970s Jubb’s books had become outdated and there was a clear need for a new volume on the fishes of this country. The National Museums and Monuments met this need by publishing Graham Bell-Cross’ The Fishes of Rhodesia in 1976. This book was available at a remarkably low price and such was its popularity that it was soon out of print. It rapidly became outdated as well and was revised by John Minshull as the Fishes of Zimbabwe, published in 1988. This version had a number of new features such as the inclusion of exotic species and species discovered in the country since 1976, as well as name changes brought about by new developments in taxonomy. It, too, was available at a very low price and has proved to be very popular; the demand was so great that it was reprinted without alteration in the 1990s. By this time, however, it had also become outdated and there was a need for yet another revision, or for a completely new type of book. I have chosen the latter option in preparing this book, since there seemed little point in attempting to revise the earlier ones within their original format. I felt that it would not be desirable to produce another field guide type of book that would have to compete with Paul Skelton’s superb volume, A Complete Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Southern Africa, first published in 1993, with a second edition eight years later. Instead, I decided that I should try to summarise the existing data about fishes in Zimbabwe. My dealings with students and inexperienced fish biologists has made it clear that many of them do not know what work has been done, or not done, on Zimbabwe’s fishes and they are not familiar with the literature. Much of it is, in any case, to be found in obscure publications that are not readily available in Zimbabwean libraries, which have declined in recent years and no longer subscribe to major international journals or even to local ones. This makes it very difficult to keep up with information or to track it down. I am aware, of course, that such a book will never be complete and may already be outdated at the time of its publication, but I hope that it will supply the basic background information for anyone interested in Zimbabwean fishes and provide a platform from which further studies can be launched. Wherever possible, I have used only data from Zimbabwe, although there may be an extensive literature from other countries for widespread or economically important species, such as Clarias gariepinus or Oreochromis mossambicus. This was a conscious decision because I wanted to summarise what is known about the fish in this country, so that other workers can assess what still needs to be done. Nevertheless, I have used some data from outside Zimbabwe, especially for fish from the upper Zambezi because of its relevance to our situation. As far as possible I have tried to use only published works as references, with the exception of university theses and some institutional reports, since most unpublished work is generally difficult to locate and ephemeral. The scientific names of fishes often change as systematic knowledge advances and the reader will note that there have been many changes since Bell-Cross & Minshull (1988) was published. Common names are a problem because of local variations and anglers in particular have various names (or nicknames) for popular angling species; I have used the standard names with these other names included in brackets where necessary.
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Atlas of Southern African freshwater fishes

  • Authors: Scott, L E P , Skelton, P H , Booth, A J , Verheust, L , Dooley, J , Harris, R
  • Date: 2006
  • Subjects: Freshwater fishes -- South Africa , Freshwater fishes -- Africa, Southern , Freshwater fishes -- Africa, Southern -- Identification
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , book
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/199097 , vital:46068
  • Description: Worldwide concern over the loss of biological diversity during the past decade has provided the impetus for the development of biodiversity databases and biological atlas projects in order to make information accessible. This Geographic Information Systems-based Atlas of Southern African Freshwater Fishes is the first of its kind for fishes in Africa and, as such, can be seen as contributing towards this global trend of consolidation and refining of biodiversity information. The technological advances made in computing systems over the past decade have facilitated the extraction and utilisation of much of the untapped information in museum collections. The size of most natural history collections had tended to prohibit any comprehensive applied use of the specimens on a large scale, but the computerisation of these collections has proved to be an invaluable tool to systematists, taxonomists and ecologists, by allowing faster and more efficient access to specimen record data of interest. With the automation of many biological databases, public attention has been brought to their potential contribution to biodiversity studies and conservation efforts around the world. The application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the field of southern African ichthyology and freshwater fisheries management has been limited, until now, by the lack of good-quality, comprehensive data sets, adequate budgets and GIS skills. Sophisticated investigations of fish distributions for conservation and management purposes need a powerful computing platform. This is realised in the Atlas of Southern African Freshwater Fishes, which has been tested and used for biogeographic analysis in the southern African region. The atlas was established using specimen records from nineteen museum collections, and currently contains 35145 geo-referenced specimen records, collected between 1885 and 2000 in eleven countries of southern Africa, which represent 254 fish species from 37 families. The Atlas of Southern African Freshwater Fishes was developed with the objective of being a dynamic, powerful information system. It has been constructed to allow the import of additional information at any stage, and it is designed to be as accessible and as user-friendly as current technology allows. This Atlas is the product of the successful integration of fish distributional information with other spatial data layers to provide a new tool for the study of freshwater fish in southern Africa.
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Revision of the Indo-Pacific dottyback fish subfamily Pseudochrominae (Perciformes:Pseudochromidae)

  • Authors: Gill, Anthony C
  • Date: 2004
  • Subjects: Fishes -- Indo-Pacific Region -- Classification , Pseudochromidae
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , book
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/137669 , vital:37548
  • Description: The 100 nominal species in the pseudochromid subfamily Pseudochrominae are referred to 70 valid species, and an additional ten species are described as new. These species are assigned to ten genera: Assiculoides Gill & Hutchins, 1997, Assiculus Richardson, 1846, Cypho Myers, 1940, Labracinns Schlegel, 1858, Ogilbyina Fowler, 1931, Pseudochromis Riippell, 1835, and four new genera, Manonichthvs, Oxvcercichthys, Pholidochromis and Pictichromis. In previous recent studies only two genera, Labracinns and Pseudochromis , had been generally recognised; species assigned to the remaining genera had been previously placed in Pseudochromis. Species included in the subfamily are: Assiculoides desmonotus Gill & Hutchins, 1997 (Western Australia); Assiculus punctatus Richardson, 1846 (northwestern Australia); Cypho purpurascens (De Vis, 1884) (southwest Pacific); C. zaps sp. nov. (Indonesia to Ryukyu Ids); Labracinns atrofasciatus (Herre, 1933) (Culion, Philippines); L. cyclophthalmus (Muller & Troschel, 1849) (Japan to northwestern Australia, Papua New Guinea); L. lineatus (Castelnau, 1875) (Western Australia); Manonichthvs a/leni sp. nov. (Sabah, Borneo); M. paranox (Lubbock & Goldman, 1976) (Solomon Ids, Papua New Guinea, Great Barrier Reef); M. polynemus (Fowler, 1931) (northeastern Indonesia, Belau); M. splendens (Fowler, 1931) (southeastern Indonesia); M. winterbottomi sp nov. (Cebu, Philippines); Ogilbyina novaehollandiae (Steindachner, 1880) (southern Great Barrier Reef and Queensland); O. queenslandiae (Saville-Kent, 1893) (Queensland, Great Barrier Reef); O. salvati (Plessis & Fourmanoir, 1966) (New Caledonia); Oxvcercichthys veliferus (Lubbock, 1980) (Great Barrier Reef, western Coral Sea); Pholidochromis marginata (Lubbock, 1980) (northeastern Indonesia to Bougainville); Pictichromis aurifrons (Lubbock, 1980) (New Guinea); P. coralensis sp. nov. (Great Barrier Reef to New Caledonia); P. diadema (Lubbock & Randall, 1978) (Malaysia to Philippines and northern Borneo); P. ephippiata (Gill, Pyle & Earle, 1996) (northern Sulawesi, southeastern Papua New Guinea); P. paccagnellae (Axelrod, 1973) (Indonesia, Timor Sea to Solomon Ids); P. porphyrea (Lubbock & Goldman, 1974) (Ryukyu Ids and northeastern Indonesia to Marshall Ids and Tonga); Pseudochromis aldabraensis Bauchot-Boutin, 1958 (Aldabra, northwestern Indian Ocean); P. alticaudex sp. nov. (northeastern Indonesia to Solomon Ids); P. andamanensis Lubbock, 1980 (Andaman Sea to Timor Sea, Australia); P. aureolineatus sp. nov. (Comoro Ids); P. aurulentus Gill & Randall, 1998 (Komodo Id, Indonesia); P. bitaeniatus (Fowler, 1931) (Philippines to Timor Sea, Australia, Solomon Ids); P. caudalis Boulenger, 1898 (Arabian Sea to Sri Lanka); P. coccinicauda (Tickell, 1888) (Laccadive Ids to central Indonesia); P. colei Herre, 1933 (Culion, Philippines); P. cometes Gill & Randall, 1998 (Komodo Id, Indonesia); P. cyanotaenia Bleeker, 1857 (Japan to Australia and Vanuatu); P dilectus Lubbock, 1976 (Sri Lanka); P. dixurus Lubbock, 1975 (Red Sea); P. dutoiti Smith, 1955 (east coast of Africa); P. elongatus Lubbock, 1980 (eastern Indonesia); P. flammicauda Lubbock & Goldman, 1976 (Great Barrier Reef); P. flavivertex Riippell, 1835 (Red Sea); P. flavopunctatus Gill & Randall, 1998 (Komodo Id, Indonesia); P. fowleri Herre, 1934 (Philippines and Sabah, Borneo); P. fridmani Klausewitz, 1968 (Red Sea); P. fuscus Muller & Troschel, 1849 (Sri Lanka to Vanuatu); P. howsoni Allen, 1995 (northwestern Australia); P. jamesi Schultz, 1943 (southwest Pacific); P kolythrus Gill & Winterbottom, 1993 (New Caledonia); P. kristinae sp. nov. (east coast of Africa to Madagascar); P. leucorhynchus Lubbock, 1977 (Kenya to Oman); P. linda Randall & Stanaland, 1989 (Gulf of Aden to Pakistan); P. litus Gill & Randall, 1998 (southeastern Indonesia); P. luteus Aoyagi, 1943 (Ryukyu Ids to Philippines); P. madagascariensis sp. nov. (northeastern Madagascar); P. magnificus Lubbock, 1977 (Cargados Carajos Shoals); P. marshallensis Schultz, 1953 (Western Australia to Marshall Ids); P. melanurus sp. nov. (Fiji and Tonga); P. melas Lubbock, 1977 (east coast of Africa); P. mooii sp. nov. (Komodo Id, Indonesia); P. moorei Fowler, 1931 (Philippines); P. natalensis Regan, 1916 (east coast of Africa); P. nigrovittatus Boulenger, 1897 (Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Socotra to Persian Gulf); P- olivaceus Riippell, 1835 (Red Sea); P. omanensis Gill & Mee, 1993 (Oman); P. persicus Murray, 1887 (Persian Gulf to Pakistan); P. perspicillatus Gunther, 1862 (Philippines and Indonesia); P. pesi Lubbock, 1975 (Red Sea); P. pictus Gill & Randall, 1998 (Alor Id, Indonesia); P. punctatus Kotthaus, 1970 (Somalia and southern Oman); P. pylei Randall & McCosker, 1989 (southeastern Indonesia and Belau); P quinquedentatus McCulloch, 1926 (northern Australia); P. ransonneti Steindachner, 1870 (Gulf of Thailand to Seribu Ids, Indonesia); P. reticulatus Gill & Woodland, 1992 (northwestern Australia); P. sankeyi Lubbock, 1975 (southern Red Sea, Gulf of Aden); P. springeri Lubbock, 1975 (Red Sea); P. steenei Gill & Randall, 1992 (southern Indonesia); P. striatus Gill, Shao & Chen, 1995 (Philippines, Taiwan, Ryukyu Ids); P. tapeinosoma Bleeker, 1853 (Andaman Sea to Solomon Ids); P. tauberae Lubbock, 1977 (east coast of Africa to Madagascar); P. viridis Gill & Allen, 1996 (Christmas Id, Indian Ocean); and P. wilsoni Whitley, 1929 (northern Australia). A key to genera and keys to species within genera are provided. Synonymy lists, suggested vernacular names, morphological descriptions, habitat notes, and distribution maps are given for each species. Photographs showing live and/or freshly dead colourations (including sexual and other intraspecific variation) are provided for all but a few species.
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A late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) galaxiid fish from South Africa

  • Authors: Anderson, M Eric , J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology
  • Date: 1998-05
  • Subjects: Fishes -- Indian Ocean , Flatfishes -- Indian Ocean
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , book
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/71000 , vital:29769 , Margaret Smith Library (South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB)) Periodicals Margaret Smith Library (South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB))
  • Description: Online version of original print edition of the Special Publication of the J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology; No. 60 , A new teleost fish, Stompooria rogersmithi, is described from deposits of a Late Cretaceous crater lake in the Karoo, South Africa. The fossils represent the earliest known species of the recently redefined family Galaxiidae. Distinguishing features include the apposition of the dorsal and anal fins, 41- 42 vertebrae, all neural arches anterior to the dorsal fin origin fused to the centra, presence of epineurals, the opercle reduced above the level of the hyomandibular articulation, the posttemporal and supracleithrum without a connection to the seismosensory head canals, 18 principal caudal fin rays, two epurals, five hypurals, no dorsal outgrowth on the uroneural, the neural spines of the second and third preural centra similar in size, and absence of a stegural, a third uroneural, a mesocoracoid, a supramaxilla, and teeth on the maxilla and palatine bones.
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A review of the species of the genus Neobythites (Pisces: Ophidiidae) from the Western Indian Ocean, with a description of seven new species

  • Authors: Nielsen, Jørgen G
  • Date: 1995
  • Language: English
  • Type: Text
  • Identifier: vital:15024 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1019887 , ISBN 0-86810-281-4 , Ichthyological Bulletin J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology; No. 62
  • Description: Species of the ophidiid genus Neobythites from the western Indian Ocean are revised based on 225 specimens. The majority of specimens came from the 17th cruise (1988-89) of the Soviet R/V VITYAZ. Twelve species are recognized: N. analis Barnard, 1927 (southern Africa; lectotype designed), N. crosnieri sp.n. (Madagascar), N. kenyaensis sp.n, (east coast of Africa), N. malhaensis sp.n. (Saya de Malha Bank), N. meteori sp.n. (Socotra Id.), N. multistriatus Nielsen and Quero, 1991 (Reunion and Rodrigues Islands), N. natalensis sp.n. (South Africa and Madagascar), N. somaliaensis sp.n. (Somalia), N. steatiticus Alcock, 1893 (northern Indian Ocean), N. stefanovi Nielsen and Uiblein, 1993 (Red Sea to Gulf of Oman), N. trifilis Kotthaus, 1979 (Socotra Id.), N. vityazi sp.n. (Madagascar). All 12 species are illustrated, and a key is included. This paper is the first part of a revision of the genus Neobythites. A second and third part will treat the species from the East Indian/Pacific Oceans and the Atlantic Ocean. , Rhodes University Libraries (Digitisation)
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Fish community structure in three temporarily open/closed estuaries on the Natal coast

  • Authors: Harrison, Trevor D , Whitfield, Alan K
  • Date: 1995
  • Language: English
  • Type: Text
  • Identifier: vital:15026 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1019890 , ISSN 0073-4381 , Ichthyological Bulletin J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology; No. 64
  • Description: The fishes of three small Natal estuaries, the Mhlanga, Damba and Zotsha were sampled over a period of two years. A total of 68 fish taxa representing 24 families, 39 genera and 55 species were captured during this study. Forty seven fish taxa were recorded in the Mhlanga estuary of which Gilchristella aestuaria, Oreochromis mossambicus, Valamugil cunnesius, Valamugil sp. and juvenile mugilids numerically dominated. In terms of biomass, O. mossambicus, V. cunnesius, Liza alata, Myxus capensis and Mugil cephalus dominated the ichthyofauna of the Mhlanga system. In the Damba estuary, 24 fish taxa were recorded, the most abundant being Glossogobius callidus,M. capensis and 0. mossambicus. M. capensis, M. cephalus, O. mossambicus and G. callidus dominated the fish biomass captured in the Damba system. A total of 56 fish taxa were recorded in the Zotsha estuary during this study, with the ichthyofauna numerically dominated by juvenile mugilids, G. aestuaria, O. mossambicus, Rhabdosargus holubi, Terapon jarbua, Ambassis productus and G. callidus. The species which dominated the fish biomass in the Zotsha system were 0. mossambicus L. alata, Valamugil robustus, V. buchanani, M. capensis, M. cephalus and V. cunnesius. Classifying the species according to whether they were resident estuarine, freshwater, estuarine-dependent marine or marine species revealed that the first three groups were all well represented in the systems. Oreochromis mossambicus was the dominant freshwater species in all three estuaries. Gilchristella aestuaria and Glossogobius callidus were the principal estuarine species in the Mhlanga and the Damba respectively, with G. aestuaria, A. productus and G. callidus being the dominant estuarine species captured in the Zotsha. The principal estuarine-dependent marine fishes captured in the Mhlanga were V. cunnesius, Valamugil sp., juvenile mugilids, M. capensis, M. cephalus and L. alata. In the Damba, M. capensis and M. cephalus were the dominant estuarine-dependent marine species and in the Zotsha juvenile mugilids, R. holubi, T. jarbua, M. capensis, V. cunnesius, V. robustus, M. cephalus, L. alata and V. buchanani were the principal estuarine-dependent marine species. The results of this study indicate that the estuaries are dominated at different periods by different assemblages of fishes. This is linked to the spawning and migration patterns of the various species as well as the hydrological regime of each estuary. During the winter these systems are normally closed with relatively deep waters and high food resource and habitat availability. Freshwater and estuarine species mainly inhabit the upper reaches of the systems while estuarine-dependent marine species, which dominate the fish community, mainly occupy the middle and lower reaches. When these estuaries open with the onset of the spring/summer rains, adult and sub-adult estuarine-dependent marine species emigrate to the marine environment and juveniles begin recruiting into the systems. Spring is also the peak breeding period of resident estuarine and freshwater species, resulting in an increase in the contribution of these fishes to the overall ichthyofauna during this period. When closed estuaries open the water level falls and this results in the fishes concentrating in the lower reaches of the system where moderate water depths are present, thus further contributing to an increase in the proportion of freshwater and estuarine species in this region. The breaching of closed estuaries also results in a reduction in food resources and habitat availability. Competition and possible increased vulnerability to avian predation (due to the shallow nature of the systems), may contribute to a decrease in the proportion of estuarine and freshwater species in summer. The prolonged recruitment of Of-juveniles of estuarine-dependent marine species results in an increase in the proportion of these fishes present in the estuaries during summer. In autumn, the systems normally close, water levels rise and available food resources and habitat increase. This allows the redistribution of freshwater and estuarine species upstream, leaving estuarine-dependent marine species to dominate the middle and lower reaches. Although temporarily open/closed estuaries along the Natal coast may not be as diverse as permanently open estuaries in terms of their ichthyofauna, their importance must not be underestimated, since by providing a series of sheltered habitats along the coast they may contribute significantly to the viability of estuarine-dependent marine fish stocks. , Rhodes University Libraries (Digitisation)
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Records of fishes of the family Triacanthodidae (Tetraodontiformes) from the western Indian Ocean off East Africa

  • Authors: Tyler, James C, 1935- , J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology
  • Date: 1983-12
  • Subjects: Fishes -- Indian Ocean , Tetraodontiformes
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , book
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/70027 , vital:29608 , Margaret Smith Library (South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB)) Periodicals Margaret Smith Library (South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB))
  • Description: Online version of original print edition of the Special Publication of the J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology; No. 31 , Reports of triacanthodid fishes from the Indian Ocean published since the revision of the family by Tyler (.1968) are reviewed, and new records are added from off the east coast of Africa. These new records are based mostly on specimens recently collected by the R/V Fridtjof Nansen off Kenya (including new western Indian Ocean records of Halimochirurgus alcocki and of Bathyphylax bombifrons), as well as on some older materials from the J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology and the South African Museum. Eight species of triacanthodids known from off east Africa are discussed briefly, with special attention given to Bathyphylax bombifrons and B. omen, previously known only from holotypes, for which additional specimens are now available. Seven species are illustrated with photographs.
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J L B Smith: his life, work, bibliography and list of new species

J L B Smith: his life and work

J L B Smith: sy lewe en werk

The Congrid eels of the Western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea

  • Authors: Castle, P H J (Peter Henry John)
  • Date: 1968
  • Subjects: Conger eels -- Indian Ocean , Conger eels -- Red Sea , Conger eels
  • Language: English
  • Type: Text
  • Identifier: vital:15005 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1019723 , Ichthyological Bulletin; No. 33
  • Description: The eel family Congridae is now known to be represented in the western Indian Ocean (here regarded to be west of 60 E. from and including the Red Sea, to Cape Point) by 11 genera and 19 species as well as at least five distinct larval forms which have not yet been identified. More than half of these species inhabit the shallow and offshore waters of the tropical western Indian Ocean. The remainder are known only from cool-temperate waters off the Cape, with one deep-water Atlantic species and one Mediterranean species also present in this area. Considerable additions to this fauna can be expected as the deep waters off the east coast are more fully sampled. Congrina wallacei sp. nov., de- scribed here from 260-270 fathoms off southern Mozambique and Durban, has rather large teeth on the jaws, a long snout and about 168 vertebrae. At least one species spawns off the Cape, but the majority probably do so over the western edge of the oceanic basins north and south of Madagascar. The shallow-water species show strong affinities with the tropical and cool-temperate Indo-Pacific. , Rhodes University Libraries (Digitisation)
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The clingfishes of the Western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea

  • Authors: Smith, J.L.B. (James Leonard Brierley), 1897-1968
  • Date: 1964
  • Language: English
  • Type: Text
  • Identifier: vital:15017 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1019796 , Ichthyological Bulletin; No. 30
  • Description: In only few cases is anything definite known about the reproduction of Clingfishes. Probably all produce eggs, in some cases (see Eckloniaichthys below) this somewhat abnormally follows internal fertilization by copulation. In those cases that have been studied the eggs are laid in a single layer and are strongly adhesive to the surface of the rock, weed or shell on which they are deposited. The number of eggs varies from about a dozen to many hundreds. The female of the large South African Chorisochismus dentex has been observed to guard the eggs and to assist aeration by fanning. In some species there is marked sexual dimorphism in body shape and in dentition, while males may have a large genital papilla. , Rhodes University Libraries (Digitisation)
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Fishes of the family Lethrinidae from the Western Indian Ocean

  • Authors: Smith, J.L.B. (James Leonard Brierley), 1897-1968
  • Date: 1959
  • Subjects: Lethrinidae -- Indian Ocean
  • Language: English
  • Type: Text
  • Identifier: vital:14979 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018778 , Ichthyological Bulletin; No. 17
  • Description: Among the most difficult problems of the systematist are certain groups of tropical fishes, notably the Parrotfishes and the Lethrinidae, whose bright colours fade quickly after death. Both of these groups are especially abundant in the Indo-Pacific. The Parrotfishes are troublesome enough, but the species do tend to retain the same livery fairly constantly in life, and there are several features that provide well defined generic cleavage, as well as useful clues to species. The Lethrinidae are more difficult, having fewer variable features. Even dimensions, e.g. relative depth, are useful only when comparable stadia can be compared, as considerable general change in body shape may occur with growth. Under the water these are troublesome fishes to identify, as most species are camouflaged by an intricate pattern of cross bars, cloudy patches, and reticulations, which make them all look much alike. In addition, they are among the most wary of the reef fishes, and difficult to approach for close scrutiny. Fresh from the water, the concealing, darker, cross markings and reticulations usually fade within a few moments, and some species are not difficult to recognise, since just after death, colour and pattern are normally reasonably constant within one species, a few are almost constant, others show variation round a typical pattern. , Rhodes University Libraries (Digitisation)
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