Threeline Tonguefish

Upper side uniformly brown; caudal fin and posterior parts of dorsal and anal fins blackish (Ref. 4418).

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 126 - 130; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 105 - 110

Feeds on small invertebrates.

Feeds on small invertebrates (Ref. 5213).

Cynoglossus marleyi Regan

Cynoglossus (Trulla) marleyi Regan, 1921b:418 [type-locality: off Umvoti River, Natal].

Areliscus marleyi.—Bonde, 1922:25.—Barnard, 1925:414.—Fowler. 1925:187.—Bonde, 1925:292.—Fowler, 1935:361.—Barnard, 1937:41.—Smith, 1949:166.

DESCRIPTION.—Based on 2 specimens, 162.0–316.0 mm SL, including the holotype of C. marleyi.

Depth of body 21.60–25.63 (M = 23.62), length of head 18.0–20.68 (M= 19.34) percent of standard length. Diameter of eye 7.0–8.96 (M = 7.98), interorbital space 2.63–4.48 (M = 3.56) percent of length of head. Two nostrils on ocular side, anterior nostril tubular, in front of lower eye, posterior nostril simple, in anterior half of interorbital space. Snout pointed, 38.81–45.61 (M = 42.41) percent of length of head; rostral hook rather long, reaches below fixed eye. Maxillary extending to below posterior border of fixed eye, or a little beyond it, angle of mouth extending to below vertical from posterior border of fixed eye, nearer to branchial opening than to tip of snout; tip of snout to angle of mouth 52.24–59.65 (M = 55.95), angle of mouth to branchial opening 40.30–47.37 (M = 43.34) percent of length of head.

Scales: Ctenoid on both sides.

Lateral-Line System: Three lateral lines on ocular side, midlateral line with 112–113 scales, 18–19 scales between middle and upper lateral lines. No lateral line on blind side.

Interlinear scale rows 18 19

Frequencies 1 2

Fins: Dorsal with 126 rays, anal with 105 rays, caudal 10 in 1 specimen (radiograph).

Vertebrae: 62, comprising 9 abdominal and 53 caudal elements in 1 specimen (radiograph).

Coloration: Upper side uniform brown, lower whitish in preserved specimens.

Size: Largest specimen examined, 336 (316 + 20) mm, is the holotype from Natal.

DISTRIBUTION.—Durban to Delagoa Bay; recorded from depths of 30–150 fms.

DIAGNOSIS AND

Feeds on small invertebrates (Ref. 5213).