Xenisthmus africanus Smith 1958

Other Names: Flathead Wriggler

Summary:

A wriggler with a dark stripe along the sides from the snout through the eye and pectoral-fin base to the lower caudal-fin base, and 6-8 dark vertical bars on the upper side from the lateral stripe to the base of the second dorsal fin.

Cite this page as:

Dianne J. Bray, Xenisthmus africanus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 11 Apr 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4923

Xenisthmus africanus Smith 1958

More Info

Distribution	Recorded from the Australian Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Island in the Indian Ocean. Elsewhere in the tropical Indian Ocean.
Features	Meristic features: Dorsal fin VII, 12; Anal fin I, 11.
Colour	Body with a dark stripe along the body from snout through eye and pectoral-fin base to lower caudal-fin base; 6-8 dark vertical bars extending from lateral stripe to 2nd dorsal fin base.
Species Citation	Xenisthmus africanus Smith, 1958, Ichthyol. Bull. Rhodes Univ. 11: 153, fig. 10. Type locality: Pinda, Mozambique.
Author	Dianne J. Bray

Xenisthmus africanus Smith 1958

References

Allen, G.R. & Smith-Vaniz, W.F. 1994. Fishes of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin 412: 1-21.

Hoese, D.F. 1986. Family No. 241: Eleotridae. pp. 807-811 figs 241.1 in Smith, M.M. & Heemstra, P.C. (eds). Smith's Sea Fishes. Johannesburg : Macmillan South Africa xx + 1047 pp. 144 pls.

Smith, J.L.B. 1958. The fishes of the family Eleotridae in the western Indian Ocean. Ichthyological Bulletin, Department of Ichthyology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 11: 137-163 figs 1-17 pls 1-3