Caught at Millers Point

Seen at Castle Rock, February 2006.

Seen at Castle Rock, February 2006. Photos Guido Zsilavecz
Rippled Blaasop Pelagocephalus marki. This blaasop is known from Knysna and Port Alfred, as well as New Zealand, and is described as probably being pelagic. The latter may explain why is was seen in False Bay, as it was most likely brought in by currents and wind. First seen at Castle Rocks, we saw it at the slipway at Millers Point on one weekend, and possibly exactly the same fish the week thereafter. Very low tide meant boats had great dificulties getting back onto their trailers, and the wash generated by the props caused this fish to be seriously disoriented. We thus decided to catch it, which we did by hand, in order to identify it properly. Smiths' Sea Fishes describes it as having: "emerald green reticulations... ventral surface bright silver", but neither fish we have seen showed this. The individual we caught was not fully grown, being only about half the size of an adult.
References:
Thanks to Dr. Phil Heemstra (SAIAB) for information.
Smiths' Sea Fishes, MM Smith and PC Heemstra, 1986.
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