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STUDIES ON THE SOUTH AFRICAN CLINIDAE. I. DESCRIPTION

OF A NEW SPECIES OF PAVOCLINUS, AND REDESCRIPTION OF

GYNUTOCLINUS ROTUNDIFRONS (BARNARD)

Mary-Louise PENRITH

South African Museum, Cape Town

(With 4 figures in the text and 1 plate)

CONTENTS

PAGE

Introduction. ; , : ! ‘ oh PAI

Description of Pavoclinus litorafontis n. sp. 4 0 AR

Discussion : 5 : ’ : : 23

Redescription of Gynutoclinus rotundifrons (Brnrd) . 215

Discussion : ‘ : : A : . 216

Acknowledgements”. ‘ : : : S217;

Summary. 6 . 6 0 : : 6) QUy

References : : : , : : ee iTV

INTRODUCTION

During the course of a systematic and biological study of the South African

fishes of the family Clinidae, extensive collecting has been carried out in the

intertidal region of the south-western Cape coast.

In May 1963 two specimens of a clinid which could not be identified with

any of the species known at present were collected with hand-nets from the

dense beds of the green alga Caulerpa filiformis at Strandfontein, in False Bay.

Eleven more specimens were subsequently collected from the same area, and

recently a single specimen was collected at Onrus River mouth, near Hermanus.

The specimens were placed in the genus Pavoclinus Smith, 1945, on account

of their lack of a supra-orbital tentacle, possession of a raised crest consisting of

the first three dorsal spines, which is not separated from the rest of the fin by a

notch in the membrane between the third and fourth dorsal spines, and their

toothed vomer.

While collecting was being carried out in kelp-filled pools at the bottom

of the intertidal zone at Lambert’s Bay in January 1964, a male specimen of

Gynutoclinus rotundifrons (Barnard, 1937) was caught. This species was pre-

viously known only from a single female specimen collected at Oudekraal in

1934 by the University of Cape Town. In March 1964 a juvenile specimen was

collected from kelp in a gully at Lambert’s Bay. A redescription of the species

is desirable, since the holotype was not fresh by the time it was received by Dr.

Barnard and the colouring had therefore completely disappeared, the male

was unknown, and there are a few errors in the original description.

211

Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 48 (10), 194: 211-217, 4 figs., 1 pl.

212 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pavoclinus litorafontis n. sp.

(PIA figs sor s2))

(litorafontis from Litus, -oris: beach; fons, -ntis: fountain)

Material: (a) From Caulerpa beds in the intertidal zone, Strandfontein: S.A.M.

23876, 2 specimens, male and female, 91 mm., 110 mm.; S.A.M. 23877, 2

males, 102 mm., 175 mm.; S.A.M. 23952, 4 specimens, 1 male, 3 juveniles,

46-132 mm.; S.A.M. 23962, two juveniles, 41 mm., 43 mm.; S.A.M. 23972,

one male, 136-5 mm.; S.A.M. 24052, one male, 164:5 mm. (holotype);

(b) from an intertidal pool at Onrus River mouth, in Bifurcariopsis brasstcaeformis ;

S.A.M. 24081, one female, 64 mm.

Description: D. XXIX-XXXIII 6-8; A. II 20-23; P. 12; V. I 3; CG. 13.

Depth 4:5-5:75; Head 3:75-5 in standard length; eye 3-5—-4-25 in head.

Upper jaw (from angle of jaw to snout tip) 33°5-41-5% of head length (2-4-3

(a) Ventral view. (6) Lateral view.

Ficure 1. Intromittent organ of Pavoclinus litorafontis.

in head). Caudal peduncle length 58-5—75% of head length; caudal peduncle

depth 22-5-33-5% of head length.

First three spines of dorsal fin elevated to form a crest, decreasing in

relative height with increase in size of fish. Not even a shallow notch in mem-

brane between third and fourth spines. Upper pectoral rays short, pectoral fin

roughly elongate-ovate. Inner pelvic ray stout, equal to others. Caudal peduncle

long. Caudal fin subtruncate.

Body somewhat elongate, compressed, covered with small imbricating

scales. Snout bluntly conical. Eye rounded, protuberant, equal to snout. No

supra-orbital tentacle. Nasal cirrus a small flap. Lips moderately thick.

Lateral line of minute double and alternating single pores to the post-

pectoral curve in the line, thereafter of minute, non-alternating single pores.

Intromittent organ of male with a large, conical tip and a very short basal

portion; a single pair of fleshy crescentic lips ensheathing the lower part of the

tip (fig. 1).

STUDIES ON THE SOUTH AFRICAN CLINIDAE 213

Colour: Mainly green, with darker green, yellow, and iridescent silver longi-

tudinal stripes. Usually a longitudinal silver or yellow stripe across the cheek

and operculum. Fins green, dorsal and anal sometimes with translucent

patches, always translucent patches in the caudal fin. Underparts green. The

colouring is often much like that of the specimen figured in Smith (1949), No.

1001 (middle), as one of the colour variations of Pavoclinus heterodon (C. & V.),

but the specimen is shown with a short caudal peduncle and a reduced inner

(a) (6) (c)

Figure 2. Left pelvic fin of (a) Pavoclinus litorafontis, (b) Pavoclinus heterodon, (c) Pavoclinus

pavo.

pelvic ray. It is common for species of this genus to have silvery or pearly

markings, often arranged longitudinally.

Table 1. Fin counts and body proportions of the four species of Pavoclinus.

litorafontis heterodon pavo profundus

Dorsal spines .. ap a Re 29-33 30-35 30-35 30

D. rays .. a8 ahs aye us 6-8 4-6 2-4 4

PNeaCAYS |e =e O6 ar a 20-23 21-24 20-23 21

ead in S:15> ae ye SoU ORIG 3°5-4°75 3°5-4°75 3°9

Depth .. 1 eee e425 =O 3°25-5 3°75-5 4°75

Upper jaw (% of Heady é 33°5-41°5 30-36 22-36°5 36

Caudal peduncle length (% of head), 58°5-75 26-5-38°5 40-46°5 36

ist d. spine (% of std. L. it ie bo) OHOrg 6-5-11 55-105 57

Eyeinhead .. 50 .. 2°75-4.5 2°5-3°75 3-4, 2°75

Discussion

Only one specimen of Pavoclinus profundus was available for comparison,

since this species is known only from the single specimen, taken in relatively

deep water at Knysna (Smith, 1960). However, the specimen examined differs

from P. litorafontis in a number of ways: P. profundus has a rather even dorsal

fin, the first three spines not forming a crest; the inner pelvic ray is reduced;

the caudal peduncle is short; there are fenen dorsal soft rays than in P. litora-

Sfontis.

214 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

For a comparison of the fin counts and body proportions of the four

species of Pavoclinus see table 1.

Pavoclinus litorafontis differs from P. heterodon and P. pavo in that (i) the

inner pelvic ray is not reduced, (ii) the caudal peduncle is very elongate,

(iii) the dorsal soft rays are more numerous.

Pavoclinus heterodon and P. pavo both have the inner pelvic ray reduced to

half or less than half the length and thickness of the other two rays (fig. 2),

while in P. litorafonizs all the specimens had the inner pelvic ray as stout as the

other two and equal to them in length.

From table 1 it can be seen that the caudal peduncle of P. litorafontzs is

relatively considerably longer than that of P. heterodon or P. pavo. The caudal

peduncle of P. heterodon is not elongate, the average caudal peduncle length for

most of the South African Clinidae being about 25-35% of the head length.

P. pavo has the caudal peduncle somewhat elongate, but in none of the specimens

in the South African Museum collection did the caudal peduncle length

approach that of P. ltorafontis.

P. pavo has 2—4 dorsal soft rays, P. heterodon 4—6, and P. litorafontis 6-8 (see

table 1), thus both P. heterodon and P. litorafontis may have 6 dorsal soft rays.

However, by far the majority of the specimens of P. heterodon examined had 5

dorsal soft rays, while only one of the specimens of P. litorafontis had 6, so that

there is little overlap between the two species in this respect.

P. litorafontis most closely resembles P. heterodon in that both are relatively

large species with a bluntly conical snout, while P. pavo is a small species with

an acutely pointed snout. P. litorafontis is more elongate and compressed than

P. heterodon, and has a higher dorsal crest. This is particularly noticeable in the

juvenile specimens of 40-60 mm., which in P. litorafontis have a high crest (12-

16-5°% of standard length), while the crest is lower in juvenile P. heterodon

(7°5-10% of standard length). The differences in caudal peduncle length and

in the development of the inner pelvic ray between these two species are

particularly striking, and the specimens can almost invariably be separated by

the soft dorsal ray count as well. Male and female specimens of P. heterodon of a

similar size to the specimens of P. litorafontis were collected from the Caulerpa

beds at Strandfontein at the same time and were clearly different from them

in all the respects mentioned above, so that P. litorafontis cannot be regarded

as a local or sexual variation or a geographical subspecies of P. heterodon.

It is rather unusual to find an undiscovered species of intertidal fish in a

well-known area. However, no intensive collecting of Clinidae has been done

in this area for many years, and probably none at Strandfontein, and as this

species is well camouflaged, evidently fairly rare, and possibly restricted with

regard to distribution, it is perhaps not surprising that it has only now come to

light. Strandfontein is an extremely interesting area zoologically; during the

present study another clinid, Petraites brevicristatus, previously known from only

a few specimens, was found to occur in quite large numbers at Strandfontein,

as well as the brotulid Bidenichthys capensis, also previously considered rare.

STUDIES ON THE SOUTH AFRICAN CLINIDAE 215

Gynutoclinus rotundifrons (Barnard, 1937)

(Figs. 3, 4)

Clinus rotundifrons Barnard, 1937: 63.

Gynutoclinus rotundifrons Smith, 1945: 358.

Material: S.A.M. 18587, one female, 83.5 mm., from kelp in an intertidal pool

at Oudekraal, W. coast of Cape Peninsula (holotype) ; S.A.M. 24009, one male,

43°5 mm., from kelp, intertidal pool, Lambert’s Bay; S.A.M. 24082, one

juvenile male, 26 mm., from kelp, intertidal gully, Lambert’s Bay.

Description: D. XXX—-XXXII 8; A. II 22-23; P. 12-14; V. 1 3; C. 13. Depth

3°8, 3°95 in larger specimens, 5:2 in juvenile. Head 3.7-4:15 in standard

length; eye 3-5-4 in head. Upper jaw 42°5-54:5°% of head length. Caudal

peduncle length 28-6—36-4°% of head length ; caudal peduncle depth 28-6—-32-2%

of head length.

FicureE 3. Gynutoclinus rotundifrons (Barnard), g, 43°5 mm. (Drawn as in life

from specimen contorted on preservation).

First four dorsal spines slightly elevated, particularly in the two smaller

specimens, to form a low, rounded crest, the second and third spines being the

highest. Crest not separated from the rest of the fin by a notch in the membrane.

Profile of dorsal fin undulating. Pectoral fin rounded. Inner pelvic ray reduced,

not more than half of other two rays. Caudal peduncle short, about as s broad as

long. Caudal fin subtruncate.

Body compressed, not elongate, more so in the juvenile specimen than in

the larger ones; covered with minute cycloid scales, not imbricating. Head

spherical, inflated, broad, with mucus pores opening on conspicuous papillae.

Eye rounded, somewhat protuberant. A minute, simple papilla over the eye.

Anterior nostril tubular, nasal cirrus large, deeply bilobed. Posterior nostril

conspicuous, surrounded by short, skinny flaps. Mouth rather large. Vomer

toothed. Lips very thin.

Lateral line of single, non-alternating pores throughout, obsolete posteri-

orly in the holotype, but distinct on the caudal peduncle in the smaller speci-

mens. Intromittent organ of male with a long basal portion and a club-shaped

216 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

tip, ensheathed at the tip by a pair of thin, crescentic lateral lips and a minute

pair of more or less confluent dorsal lips (fig. 4).

Colour: (a) Male, 43:5 mm. Ground colour pale brown with about seven

darker brown irregular cross-bars, edged with iridescent blue in fine broken

lines. A very dark brown narrow vertical line behind and above the pectoral

axil, and another at the end of the caudal peduncle. Cross-bars of body con-

tinued on to the dorsal fin, with translucent patches between them; translucent

areas with fine black dots. Dorsal fin uniformly dark brown posteriorly; a

(a) Ventral view. (6) Lateral view.

FicurE 4. Intromittent organ of Gynutoclinus rotundifrons.

single small translucent patch at the base near beginning of dorsal soft rays.

Caudal fin translucent with very faint brown cross-bars, darkening at the

margins. Pectoral fin translucent with four very fine dark brown cross-bars, the

proximal one curved. Anal fin mainly dark brown, with two translucent

patches near the base. Pelvic fins light brown with dark brown cross-bars.

Head mainly light brown below. A dark brown stripe from the eye forwards

in front of cheek to angle of jaw. Head above and opercular region deep pink.

Snout pink with a darker pink bar between the eyes and another above the

upper lip, a fine darker pink line down the middle. Eye silvery with golden-

brown radii. Chin and lips light brown mottled heavily with darker brown.

Branchiostegal membranes and jugular region silvery grey with fine black

speckling. Belly silvery with a golden-brown sheen. Intromittent organ of male

greyish, with fine black speckling.

(b) Juvenile, 26 mm. Whole body and head yellow, without cross-bars or

markings, underparts lighter yellow. Dorsal fin with alternating pink and

translucent patches. Anal fin yellow. Caudal and pectoral fins translucent.

Pelvic fins yellow with brown cross-bars.

Discussion

Neither Barnard (1937) nor Smith (1945) noticed the supra-orbital

papilla. This is not surprising, as it is very small, and in the holotype had

STUDIES ON THE SOUTH AFRICAN CLINIDAE 217

shrunk owing to desiccation in the preservative; in life it is erect and quite

distinct even to the naked eye. None of the other South African Clinidae

described have a simple supra-orbital papilla; either there is a multifid supra-

orbital tentacle, or a supra-orbital outgrowth is completely lacking.

Gynutoclinus rotundifrons is apparently a weed-dwelling species, as all three

specimens so far found were taken from amongst fronds of kelp. It is the only

species which has not been recorded east of Cape Point, but if it is as rare as it

appears to be, it is possibly more widely distributed.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Acknowledgement must be made to Dr. F. H. Talbot of the South African

Museum for advice and help; to Professor J. L. B. Smith of the Department of

Ichthyology, Rhodes University, for the loan of the unique specimen of

Pavoclinus profundus; to my husband Mr. M. J. Penrith of the South African

Museum, who collected most of the specimens studied, and to Mr. C. Berrisford

for the Onrus River mouth specimen.

The Trustees of the South African Museum acknowledge the award of a

grant by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research for the publication

of this paper.

SUMMARY

A new species of clinid, Pavoclinus litorafontis (Pisces: Clinidae), is described.

Gynutoclinus rotundifrons (Barnard), previously known only from a unique

specimen, is redescribed.

REFERENCES

BaRNARD, K. H. 1937. Further notes on South African Marine Fishes. Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 32 (2):

41-67.

SmirH, J. L. B. 1945. The fishes of the family Clinidae in South Africa. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist.

(11) 12: 535-546.

SmirH, J. L. B. 1949. The sea fishes of Southern Africa. Central News Agency Ltd., South Africa.

SmitH, J. L. B. 1960. A new species of South African clinid fish. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (13) 3:

689-691.

Plate V

Ann. S. Afr. Mus. Vol. XLVIII

‘(qyauag “(Wy : ydes8ojoyd) ayqrsta you ore svore poqueursidun oy oyeyd sty ur ySnoyaye ‘uy

oY} JO YISug] a9y3 MoYSnosy) snonunuod st sKea pue soutds [esiop oy} useMmyaq auRAquIoUt oY,J,

‘ds ‘u syuofis0jy) snurpooavg

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REFERENCES

Authors’ names and dates of publication given in text; full references at end of paper in

alphabetical order of authors’ names (Harvard system). References at end of paper must be

given in this order:

Name of author, in capitals, followed by initials; names of joint authors connected by &,

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suffixes a, b, etc. Full title of paper; initial capital letters only for first word and for proper

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Volume number in arabic numerals (without prefix ‘vol.’), with wavy underlining (bold type).

Part number, only if separate parts of one volume are independently numbered. Page numbers)

first and last, preceded by a colon (without prefix ‘p’). Thus:

Smiru, A. B. 1956. New Plonia species from South Africa. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (12) 9: 937-945.

When reference is made to a separate book, give in this order: Author’s name; his initials;

date of publication; title, underlined; edition, if any; volume number, if any, in arabic numerals,

with wavy underlining; place of publication; name of publisher. Thus:

Brown, X. Y. 1953. Marine faunas. 2nd ed. 2. London: Green.

When reference is made to a paper forming a distinct part of another book, give: Name of

author of paper, his initials; date of publication; title of paper; ‘In’, underlined; name of

author of book; his initials; title of book, underlined; edition, if any; volume number, if any,

in arabic numerals, with wavy underlining; pagination of paper; place of publication; name

of publisher. Thus:

SmitH, C. D. 1954. South African Plonias. In Brown, X. Y. Marine faunas. 2nd ed. 3: 63-95.

London: Green.

SYNONYMY

Arranged according to chronology of names. Published scientific names by which a species

has been previously designated (subsequent to 1758) are listed in chronological order, with

abbreviated bibliographic references to descriptions or citations following in chronological

order after each name. Full references must be given at the end of the paper. Articles and

recommendations of the International code of zoological nomenclature adopted by the XV International

congress of zoology, London, Fuly 1958, are to be observed (particularly articles 22 and 51).

Examples: Plonia capensis Smith, 1954: 86, pl. 27, fig. 3. Green, 1955: 23, fig. 2.

When transferred to another genus:

Euplonia capensis (Smith) Brown, 1955: 259.

When misidentified as another species:

Plonia natalensis (non West), Jones, 1956: 18.

When another species has been called by the same name:

[non] Plonia capensis: Jones, 1957: 27 (= natalensis West).