30 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
Series 4, Volume 65, 28 Sept. 2018, No. 1 
Key to species of Serranus and Chelidoperca in the eastern Atlantic 
We have included the species Chelidoperca africana Cadenat, 1960 because it is frequently called 
Serranus africanus in the literature and is so treated by Smith (1990:704, CLOFETA], 
Williams and Carpenter (2015), and Heemstra and Anderson (2016). 
la) A III,6; D X, 10-11, last two soft rays longest; pelvic-fin origin well in front of pectoral-fin 
base; body subcylindrical. Chelidoperca africana Cadenat, 1960 (Fig. 25) 
lb) A 111,7-8 (rarely 6); D X, 12-16 (rarely 11); middle rays of soft dorsal fin longest; pelvic-fin 
origin below or only slightly in front of pectoral-fin base; body laterally compressed.2 
2a) Lateral line scales 60-90.3 
2b) Lateral line scales 40-52.5 
3a) Nape distinctly arched; prominent vermiform or reticulate markings on head; lateral line scales 
62-75; scales on cheeks and thoracic region cycloid; sensory canal system does not extend onto 
opercle; profile of dorsal fin not indented in adults. Serranus scriba (Linnaeus, 1758) 
3b) Nape not highly arched; no reticulate markings on head; lateral line scales 69-90; scales on 
cheeks and thoracic region ctenoid; sensory canal system extends onto opercle; profile of dorsal 
fin slightly indented.4 
4a) D X,13-15 (rarely 12); A 111,7-8, usually 7; circumpeduncular scales fewer than 47; caudal fin 
lacking black tips. Serranus cabrilla (Linnaeus, 1758) 
4b) D X, 14-16; A 111,7-8, usually 8; circumpeduncular scales 47 or more; caudal fin with black 
tips. Serranus atricauda Gunther, 1874 
5a) A prominent black ocellated spot at beginning of soft dorsal fin; pelvic fin s mostly black, but 
sometimes with white spine and pale basal section; interorbital space scaly. 
. Serranus hepatus (Linnaeus, 1766) 
5b) No black ocellated spot on soft dorsal fin; pelvic fins pale to dark dusky; interorbital space 
naked.6 
6a) A III,6; GR 14; scales all cycloid; a large black spot on dorsal fin between last 3 spines and first 
branched ray, the spot merging with black saddle on body; mandibular rami partially covered 
with small thin scales. Serranus drewesi Iwamoto, sp. nov. 
6b) A III,7 or 8; GR 19-26; scales ctenoid; no black spot on dorsal fin between last 3 spines and 
first branched ray; mandibular rami naked.7 
7a) Scales present on interopercle; anterior nostril with a short elevated posterior flap that lacks 
cirri at distal tip. Serranus sanctaehelenae Boulenger, 1895 
7b) Interopercle naked; anterior nostril bearing cirri at tip of elevated posterior rim.8 
8a) Caudal fin lunate to shallowly forked, often with a short streamer at tip of upper lobe; two blue 
stripes on head, one originating on snout and passing below orbit to end on lower margin of 
opercle, the other from posterior margin of orbit across gill cover and ending below middle 
opercular spine, last three anal-fin rays usually longer than those anteriorly. 
. Serranus accraensis (Norman, 1931) 
8b) Caudal fin truncate or emarginated, lacking streamer at tip of upper lobe; no blue stripes on 
sides of head, last three anal-fin rays usually shorter than those anteriorly.9 
