Systematics and distribution of eels of the Muraenesox group (Anguilliformes, Muraenesocidae): a preliminary report and key
- Authors: Castle, P H J (Peter Henry John) , Williamson, Gordon R , Rhodes University. J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology
- Date: 1975-05
- Subjects: Fishes -- Classification , Muraenesox -- Classification , Muraenesocidae -- Classification
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69746 , vital:29575 , 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. 15 , A study of the eels which have been referred to Muraenesox McClelland clarifies taxonomic confusion in this group and shows it to contain three genera and seven species. M cinereus (Forsskål, 1775) occurs from the Red Sea across the Indian Ocean northwards to Japan . M. bagio (Hamilton, 1822) has a wider distribution from South Africa throughout the Indo-west Pacific north to Japan and south to Sydney. Congresox Gill is revived for C. talabon (Cuvier, 1829) and C. talabonoides (Bleeker, 1853) both of which occur in the central Indo-west Pacific. Cynoponticus Costa is represented by C. savanna (Bancroft, 1831) in the West Atlantic, C. ferox Costa, 1845 in the East Atlantic and Mediterranean and C. coniceps (Jordan and Gilbert, 1881) in the central East Pacific.
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- Date Issued: 1975-05
An index and bibliography of eel larvae
- Authors: Castle, P H J (Peter Henry John) , Rhodes University. J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology
- Date: 1969-12
- Subjects: Eels , Fishes -- Larvae , Fishes -- Bibliography , Leptocephalous larvae
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69608 , vital:29558 , 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. 7 , A survey of ichthyological literature from 1758 until the end of 1968 reveals that information on eel larvae (leptocephali) is widely scattered and contained in at least 600 different papers. A synthesis of tlris information, essential for the correlation of larval eels with their adult species, is attempted here as a necessary adjunct to the further development of systematic studies on adults. About 450 forms of eel larvae have been described, of which nearly 100 have been at least tentatively identified; some 200 have been named as species of die genus Leptocephahis Grono- vius, 1763 (now a rejected name in Zoology), or of other larval genera; the remainder have not been named. Systematic and bibliographic information on these cel larvae is presented together with a geographic checklist and a list of myomere numbers in leptocephali. Reports of eel eggs and prelarvae are not included but these may be found in some of the papers listed. The leptocephalous larvae of other groups of fishes are excluded from this index, although references are made to relevant sources of information.
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- Date Issued: 1969-12
The Eel genera Congrina and Coloconger off Southern Mozambique and their larval forms
- Authors: Castle, P H J (Peter Henry John) , Rhodes University. J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology
- Date: 1969-05
- Subjects: Bathycongrus -- Mozambique , Bathycongrus -- Larvae , Coloconger , Coloconger -- Larvae , Eels -- Mozambique
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69597 , vital:29555 , 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. 6 , Eight juvenile eels collected off southern Mozambique by the Galathea and identified as Congrina guttulata (Gunther, 1887) each have three well-defined, longitudinal rows of melanophores on the lateral body surface. The Dana collection of leptocephali contains many East African larvae with identical pigmentation. Their added close agreement in number of myomeres, fin-rays etc. allows such larvae to be firmly identified with Congrina Jordan & Hubbs, 1925, and specifically with C. guttulata. Leptocephalus trilineatus Castle, 1964 and L. geminus Castle, 1964, with similar pigmentation from the southwest Pacific, must therefore also belong to Congrina. Ten eels from southern Mozambique (Galathea Expedition and a commercial trawler) are identified with Coloconger scholesi Chan, 1967, otherwise known only from the South China Sea. A metamorphic lepto-cephalus of C. raniceps Alcock, 1889, from off southern India (Galathea) shows remnants of larval pigmentation, and permits the recognition for the first time of the larval characters of Coloconger.
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- Date Issued: 1969-05
Eggs and early larvae of the congrid eel Gnathophis capensis off Southern Africa
- Authors: Castle, P H J (Peter Henry John) , Rhodes University. J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology
- Date: 1969-03
- Subjects: Eels , Fishes -- Larvae , Gnathophis capensis
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69563 , vital:29549 , 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. 5 , Two hauls made in late January, 1930 off southern Africa by the Danish Dana Expedition contained developing eggs and very young larvae of the congrid eel Gnathophis capensis (Kaup, 1856). Collection of these specimens confirms the suggestion made from previous larval studies that spawning, development, and at least early larval growth of this species occurs in late summer in this area.
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- Date Issued: 1969-03
Description and osteology of a new eel of the genus Bathymyrus from off Mozambique
- Authors: Castle, P H J (Peter Henry John) , Rhodes University. Department of Ichthyology
- Date: 1968-05
- Subjects: Eels , Bathymyrus smithi , Marine fishes -- Mozambique
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69552 , vital:29548 , 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 Rhodes University, Department of Ichthyology, No. 4 , A commercial haul off the Limpopo River mouth in 260 - 270 fathoms collected 35 eels of the genus Bathymyrus Alcock, 1889, described here as B. smithi sp. nov. This has a shorter head and pectoral and a more posterior dorsal origin relative to the pectoral fin than in B.echinorhynchus Alcock, 1889 from the Bay of Bengal and B.simus Smith, 1965 from the South China Sea. B.smithi is also distinct in having extra-oral rostral teeth present but less conspicuously developed, more numerous vertebrae (150 — 155, compared with about 125 — 130 in the other species) and drab coloration. An osteological study shows that, although it has certain unique features, B.smithi is very closely similar to congrids of the subfamily Anagoinae. There are valid reasons for using the term Bathymyrinae for this group of congrid eels.
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- Date Issued: 1968-05
A contribution to a revision of the moringuid eels
- Authors: Castle, P H J (Peter Henry John) , Rhodes University. Department of Ichthyology
- Date: 1968-03
- Subjects: Eels , Moringua , Marine fishes -- Africa, Southern
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69541 , vital:29547 , 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 Rhodes University, Department of Ichthyology, No. 3 , An examination of vertebral numbers in a series of eels of the genus Moringua Gray, 1831 from the western Indian Ocean clearly indicates three species, with about 105—113, 115—125 and 153—160 vertebrae respectively. These counts are matched by proportionately shorter head and greater slenderness of body, which are not correlated with total length in each group. Lateral line pore counts and position of heart confirm the presence of three species. A study of the moringuid literature and of certain type material shows that the names Moringua microchir Bleeker, M.ferruginea Bliss and M.javanica (Kaup) may be applied to these. Aphthalmichthys abbreviatus Bleeker is almost certainly based on immature females of M.microchir and is considered a synonym. A vertebral count on the holotype of M.bicolor Kaup suggests that it may be the male form of M.javanica. Aphthal— michthys macrocephalus Bleeker is probably a synonym of M.macrochir Bleeker and the latter shows close similarities to M.raitaborua Hamilton—Buchanan. Growth in moringuids appears to be most rapid at a point a few segments in advance of the vent.
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- Date Issued: 1968-03
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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- Date Issued: 1968
Taxonomic notes on the eel, Muraenesox cinereus (Forsskål, 1775), in the western Indian Ocean
- Authors: Castle, P H J (Peter Henry John) , Rhodes University. Department of Ichthyology
- Date: 1967-12
- Subjects: Eels , Marine fishes -- Africa, Southern
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69530 , vital:29546 , 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 Rhodes University, Department of Ichthyology, No. 2 , Specimens from the southeast African coast conform well in essential characters with those displayed in radiographs of Muraena tota cinerea Forsskål from the Red Sea. In contrast, Japanese specimens which have been assigned to M.cinereus have more precaudal vertebrae, a higher total number of vertebrae, more numerous dorsal rays, a broader interorbital and a larger eye. They should therefore be set aside as distinct from Forsskål’s species. An available name for these is possibly M.singaporensis (Bleeker, 1853) although insufficient is known about M.cinereus - type eels in the Indo-Malayan region for this name to be confidently applied to the Japanese form. In many features western Indian Ocean M.cinereus closely resembles M.yamaguchiensis Katayama & Takai, 1954, also from Japan.
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- Date Issued: 1967-12
Two remarkable eel-larvae from off Southern Africa
- Authors: Castle, P H J (Peter Henry John) , Rhodes University. Department of Ichthyology
- Date: 1967-08
- Subjects: Eels , Fishes -- Larvae , Marine fishes -- Africa, Southern
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69251 , vital:29465 , 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 Rhodes University, Department of Ichthyology, No.1 , Ascomana gen. nov., based on A. eximia sp. nov. is described from a single 700mm leptocephalus collected off Cape Town. It displays the following characters which in combination distinguish it from known eel genera: — Jaws moderately produced, hyomandibula essentialy vertical, short postocular region, occipital crest present, slender upwardly-curved lower jaw, pectoral fin with very numerous rays (23-24); larva reaching at least 700mm, eye not telescopic, caudal not attenuated or rounded, very numerous teeth, intestine a straight tube, pigment mainly as a series of large melanophores along the ventral body wall from throat to vent. The new genus and species shows some resemblances to the nessorhamphid eels. An elongate (565mm) leptocephalus, also collected from off Cape Town (that is, in the locality of the Dana "giant" eel-larvae), is identified with Leptocephalus giganteus Castle and is the second undoubted specimen of this species.
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- Date Issued: 1967-08