IWAMOTO & WIRTZ: SYNOPSIS OF EASTERN ATLANTIC SERRANUS 
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the band under 5 th to 10 th spines descends to belly well removed from pectoral-fin base and to front 
of anal fin; band below anterior rays of soft dorsal fin descends to middle of anal-fin base. 
Description.— Body relatively slender, width over pectoral bases about half of HL, 18-20% 
SL, greatest body depth below fifth or sixth dorsal spine about 2.9-3.1 in SL and less than HL, 
which is about 2.6 in SL. Dorsal profile (excluding eye) rising in a relatively straight line to origin 
of dorsal fin, then leveling off to about fifth or sixth spine before descending in a gentle curve to 
base of caudal fin; ventral profile gently curved from lower jaw to caudal fin; orbit diameter about 
4 into HL, longer than snout length, both substantially more than interorbital width. Lower jaw 
projecting slightly beyond upper jaw; maxilla extending to below posterior half of pupil. Anterior 
nostril tubular, the rim posteriorly elevated into a high narrow flap with 4-6 long slender cirri at 
distal tip; posterior nostril lacking raised rim. Opercular spines three, the uppermost small and 
obscure, middle spine longest. Preopercle margin serrated with flattened spines, those at angle 
largest; vertical portion of margin slightly inflected to form shallow lobe at angle. 
Premaxillary teeth in narrow band, the outer series spaced and slightly enlarged; one or more 
large canines at anterior end. Dentary with a band of small teeth flanked by a series of slightly 
enlarged outer teeth that become larger posteriorly. Vomerine tooth band broadly V-shaped, teeth 
along posterior edge of bone slightly larger; each arm of vomerine teeth followed by narrow band 
of small palatine teeth. 
First four spines of dorsal fin graduated, the middle 4 th to 6 th spines longest, the spines 
following subequal; the soft rays slightly higher than longest spines, the 3 rd to 5 th soft ray longest; 
a slight notch in fin profile. Anal fin relatively high, spines shorter than soft rays, the first spine 
more than half length of second and third spines, the second spine longer and stouter than the 
others. Pectoral fin broad-based, its origin about on same vertical as that of dorsal and pelvic fins; 
middle of fin (7 th to 8 th rays) longest, extending to base of first or second anal spine; pelvic fin falls 
short of anus. Caudal fin emarginate; dorsal lobe weakly pointed, ventral lobe somewhat rounded 
at tip. 
Scales ctenoid, body fully covered; head naked over snout, interorbital, suborbital region, 
outer margin of preopercle and over subopercle. Small scales on interradial membranes of dorsal 
fin, mostly confined to basal one-fourth to one-half of soft rays, but a few on membrane between 
spines. Anal and caudal fins also with small scales at base, but on caudal fin, scales extending more 
distally. Scales on pectoral fin limited to immediate base of fin. 
Pigmentation pattern (Figs. 13, 14) of preserved type specimens from Angolan and Gabon: 
Six or seven vertical bands on body from nape to base of caudal fin. Bands originate along dorsal 
outline of body and descend ventrally before fading on abdomen or near ventral outline; pigmen¬ 
tation of bands under dorsal fin extend onto base of dorsal fin rays. Anteriormost band faint, begin¬ 
ning over nape and extending posteriorly to below 3 rd or 4 th dorsal spine; ventrally, band descends 
onto opercle and subopercle. Second band below 5 th to 10 th spines descending to behind posterior 
half of pectoral fin, gradually fading over abdomen. That band, as in S. pulcher, does not abut 
against the pectoral-fin base. Third band below 1 st to 6 th soft dorsal rays, descending to ventral 
outline over anterior anal soft rays. Fourth band below last four or five soft dorsal rays and extend¬ 
ing slightly onto caudal peduncle. A fifth band at middle of caudal peduncle, followed by a sixth 
band over end of peduncle and partly onto base of caudal fin. Angolan specimens have character¬ 
istic dark spots on snout and suborbital, and a faint dark crescent mark on hind border of orbit; tiny, 
irregular (in shape, size and distribution) black speckles on posterior one-half of interorbital 
space—these absent on Gabon specimen, which is faded. However, a small dark dot present on 
both sides of head just behind upper margin of orbit in all three specimens. Dorsal, anal and lower 
half of caudal fins dusky with faint diagonal streaks. Anal fin overall dark dusky but faintly whitish 
