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A checklist of the fish species of the mogol and palala rivers (Limpopo system)
of the transvaal

Article · January 1983

DOI: 10.1080/03779688.1983.9639408

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 Journal of the Limnological Society of Southern Africa

ISSN: 0377-9688 (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/taas18

A CKECKLIST OF THE FISH SPECIES OF THE MOGOL

AND PALALA RIVERS (LIEPOPO SYSTEM) OF THE
TRANSVAAL

C. J. Kleynhans

To cite this article: C. J. Kleynhans (1983) A CKECKLIST OF THE FISH SPECIES OF THE MOGOL
AND PALALA RIVERS (LIEPOPO SYSTEM) OF THE TRANSVAAL, Journal of the Limnological Society
of Southern Africa, 9:1, 29-32, DOI: 10.1080/03779688.1983.9639408

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03779688.1983.9639408

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 J. Limnol. SOC. sth. Afr.
9(1), 29- 32. 1983
A CKECKLIST OF THE FISH SPECIES OF THE MOGOL AND PALALA RIVERS
(LIEPOPO SYSTEM) OF THE TRANSVAAL

C.J. Kleynhans

Provincial Fisheries Institute, Transvaal Nature Conservation Division,

Lydenburg, 1120, S o u t h Africa

SUMMARY

A survey of the fish species of the Mogol and Palala Rivers (Limpopo System) was conducted
during 1979 and 1981. Thirty one indigenous fish species were sampled in the Mogol River,
five of which were recorded for the first time in this river. The Palala River contained
twenty seven indigenous fish species, twelve-of which were not previously listed for this
river. The results of this survey are discussed i n relation to previous work conducted on
the fish species of the north-western Transvaal tributaries of the Limpopo River.

INTRODUCTION Localities No. 6, 10, 1 1 , 12, 13, 14, 16 and 19:

Gaigher (1969) conducted the first fish distribution
surveys of the Mogol and Palala Rivers. At a later
stage Potgieter (1974) sampled the Palala River at
one locality, the Visgat Dam. Despite these two sur-
veys, the fish populations in long sections of both
rivers still remain relatively unexplored.
P o o l s with a sand and silt substratum.
Locality No. 19: Pool situated below the wall of the
Visgat Dam.
Localities No. 7 and 9: Rapids with a rocky substra-
tum.
Localities No. 8, 15, 17 and 20: Pools with a sand
and rock substratum.

The main objective of the current survey was to ob- The Mogol River is perennial along its entire length.
tain more data on the distribution of the small fish In November 1981 the Palala River flowed only up to
species such as minnows (B,nrbits spp.), which are seldom locality No. 19. Locality No. 20 consisted of iso-
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caught by anglers. lated pools in the river bed.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
The Mogol and Palala Rivers have their origin in the
Waterberg Mountains of Tzansvaal. The headwaters of
both rivers consist of rapids, occasional pools and
waterfalls. On the plateau region of the Waterberg,
stream flow is slow and long pools bordered by grass
and reeds are common. Both rivers cut through the
Waterberg in a north-westerly direction by means of
relatively large gorges. In this region rapids are
common and large pools occur occasionally. After
leaving the Waterberg, the Mogol and Palala Rivers
flow slowly over relative flat and sandy stream beds
with reeds abounding o n the stream banks up to their
confluence with the Limpopo River.
The following localities were sampled in the Mogol
River during March 1979 and September 1981 (Figure 1):
Localities No: 1, 2 and 19: Pools with a sandy to
rocky substratum.
Localities N o . 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20,
22, 23 and 25: P o o l s with a muddy to silty substra-
tum.
Locality No. 4: Pool with a muddy to silty substratum.
Localities No. 5, 1 1 and 16: Pools with a rocky to
silty substratum.
Localities No. 6 and 18: Rapids with a rocky substra-
tum.
Locality No. 17: The Hans Strijdom Dam. Four sites
were sampled in this dam.
Locality No. 21: Rapid with a rocky to sandy sub-
stratum.
Locality No. 24: Tonnelgat, an oxbow lake next to the
Mogol River. Silty to sandy substratum.
Locality No. 26: Slow flowing run with a sandy sub-
stratum.
The following localities were sampled in the Palala
River during December 1979 and November 1981 (Figure
2) :
Locality No. I : Slow flowing run with a pebbly sub-
stratum.
Localities No. 2, 4 and 5: Pools with a mud to silt
substratum.
Localities No. 3 and 18: Pools with a rocky substra-
tum.
The Hans Strijdom Dam in the Mogol River and locality
No. 8 in the Palala River were sampled with gill nets
(mesh size (bar) = 25 m) and a seine net of 100 rn x
1.5 m (mesh size (bar) = 25 mm) . This seine net was
also used to sample locality No. 24 in the Mogol River.
Rapids in both rivers were sampled with an Eiseman
electrical shocking apparatus (AC, 250 Volt). All.
other localities were sampled with a 1,5 m x 10 m
mosquito seine net (mesh size 1,5 mm).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Five of the 32 fish species found in the Mogol River
are new records for this river (Table 1). In addi-
tion, Krijt ( p e r s . coim., 1981) caught two A n q u i Z k
nnossambica at locality No. 18 during 1981, while a
creel survey conducted by hte Transvaal'Nature Con-
servation Division indicates the presence of CypKnus
cargio in the Hans Strijdom Dam (Malan, p e r s . corn.,
1982).
The Palala River contained 27 fish species, 12 of which
were collected for the first time in this river (Table
2). Baarbzts mat-tozi, T i l a p i n rendatti and A. mossmbica
were collected by Gaigher (1969) and Potgieter (1974)
in the Palala River but were n o t found during the cur-
rent survey.
The presence of Barbus b r e v i p i n n i s in the headwaters
of both rivers is surprising as this species was pre-
viously only known from tributaries of the Sabie River
(Incomati System) in the eastern Transvaal. It is like-
ly, however, that Gaigher (1969) confused Barbus brevi-
p i n n i s with Rmbits tzeefi which he recorded from the
Palala as well a s the Mogol River.
At the time of Gaigher's (1969) study, Barbus vivipa-
rus and Barbits b i f r e n a t u s were considered to be a
single species (viz. B. V i V i p a r u s ) . According to
Skelton (in l i t t . , 1981) sufficient evidence now
exists to recognise B. v i v i p m s and B. bifrenatus
as separate species. The presence of B. v i v i p a m s in
the interior of Transvaal i s interesting d s its typi-
cal distribution pattern is along the east coast from
Malawi southwards to the Urntarnuma River in Natal
(Bruton, Jackson and Skelton, 1982).

0377-9688/83/0l0029-04 $2.00 o Limnological Society of southern Africa

 30
3%
TRANSVAAL
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'4-
FIGURE 1 . Sampling localities in the Mogol River
(Limpopo System, Transvaal). See Table 1 for
explanation.
Fish species such as Labeo rubropunctatus, Synodontis
zunbezensis, Chi loglaizis paratus and Amphi l i u s p l a t y -
c h i r were surprisingly not recorded in both rivers.
It is probable, however, that these species do occur
in both rivers but were not caught during the current
survey. Labeo rubropzcnctatus occurs in the Limpopo
River downstream from its confluence with the Palala
River (Gaigher, 1969) and it can be expected to be
present in the Palala River. The presence of L. rubro-
pzcnctatzts in the Mogol River represents the most west-
ward distribution of this species in the Limpopo Sys-
tem. In the western Transvaal Synodontis zambezensis
is also known from the Marico River (Gaigher, 1969)
and anglers report it from the Crocodile and Matlabas
Rivers (Kleynhans; 1980). In the western part of the
Limpopo System Chiloglanis paratus has been reported
from the Mogalakwena River (Gaigher, 1969) and from
the Crocodile River (Kleynhans, 1980). A s was the
case in the Crocodile River, C. paratus was found in
isolated rocky pools in the Palala River. A small,
isolated C. paratus population was also recorded in
the Sand River, a northern Transvaal tributary of the
LimPOPO River (Kleynhans, personal observation, 1980).
m h i l i u s p l a t y c h i r was previously reported in the
KLEYNHANS
FIGURE 2. Sampling localities in the Palala River
(Limpopo System, Transvaal). See Table 2 for
explanation.
western Transvaal from the headwaters of the Crocodile
River (Gaigher, 1969).
It is noteworthy that CZarias theodorae was recorded
by Hecht, Polling and Saayman (1981) in the Klein Nyl
River, but was not found in the headwaters of the near-
by Mogol River during the current survey.
The presence of Micropterus dolormeu in the headwaters
of the Mogol River appears t o be a problem because in
streams @ere this exotic fish occurs, no other fish
species were sampled. This is ascribed to predation
by M. dolomieu on the small indigenous fish species,
such as B. b r e u i p i n n i s . The same situation prevails
in the Cape Province where M. dolomieu has been respons-
ible for the decline of several populations of rare
and endemic fish species (Gaigher, 1979).
Until the completion of the Hans Strijdom Dam in
1980, the Mogol River was relatively undisturbed,
This dam will, to a certain extent, disrupt the
normal breeding migrations of fish but it has, on the
other hand, created a new habitat for large popula-
tions of Oreochromis mossambicus, Chetia f l a v i v e n t r i s ,
 CHBCKLIST OF THE FISH SPECIES OF THE MOGOL AND PALALA RIVERS 31

TABLE I . A checklist of fish species from the Mogol River. Limpopo River System.
Present survey Gaigher Present survey Gaigher,
Species Species locality no. 1969
locality no. 1969

Fam. Mormyridae Lube0 mddi 19, 2 4 +

Marcusenius rnacrokpidotus 17, 18, 21, 26 + Boulenger, 1907
(Peters, 1852) Neobola brevianaZis 19, 17 +
Petrocephalus catostoma 18, 19, 21 + (Boulenger, 1908)
(Ghther, 1866)
Fam. Clariidae
Fam. Characidae CZarias gariepinus 17, 19, 21, 24 +
MicraZestes acutidens 16, 17,20, 21,22, + (Burchell, 1822)
(Peters, 1852) 23, 24, 26
Fam. Schilbeidae
Fam. Cyprinidae Eutropius depressirostris 17, 23, 24 +
Barbus afrohcmriltoni 26 + (Peters, 1852)
,Crass, 1960 Fam. Mochokidae
Barbus annectens 19, 26
Chiloglanis pretoriae (n) 18 -
(Gilchrist&Thompson, 1917) Van der Horst, 1931
Barbus bi f r enatus (n) 11, 13, 14, 23, 24, -
Fowler, 1935 25, 26 Synodontis zambezensis (n) 17, 24 -
Barbus brevipinnis (n) 4, 5, 7, I I , 13, 14 - Peters, 1852
Jubb, 1966 Fam. Amphiliidae
Barbus marequensis 2, 7, 11, 17 + Amphilius p l a t y c h i r 6 +
Smith, 1841 Gkther, 1864
Barbus mattozi 17 +
Guimaraes, 1884 Fam. Cvorinodontidae
Barbus paludinosus 7, 9, 10, 2 4 , 25, 26 + AplocheElichthys johnstonii 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 19, +
Peters, 1852 (Ginther, 1893) 20, 22, 23, 2 4 , 25, 26
Barbus radiatus 26 + Fam. Cichlidae
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Peters, 1953 Chetia f l u v i v e n t r i s 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, +

Barbus trimaculatus 21, 23, 26 + . Trewavas, 1961 24, 26
Peters, 1852 Oreochomis mossambicus 17, 2 0 , 24,26 +
Barbus unitaeniatus 9, 16.21, 23, 26 + (Peters, 1852)
Gcnther, 1866 Pseudocrenilabrus philander 4,5, 7, 16, 18, 21 +
Barbus viviparus 9,16,18,20,21, + (Weber, 1897) 24, 25, 26
Weber, 1897 23, 24, 25 Tilapia rendalli 16, 17, 2 0 , 22.23, +
Labeo cy l i ndr i cus 18,21 + Gilchrist &Thompson, 1917 24, 25, 26
Peters, 1852 Ti"itapia sparrmmni 3, 7, 9, 10, 1 1 , 15, 17, +
k b e o molybdinus .17,l8,21 + Smith, 1846 19,20, 21,24, 25,26
Du Plessis, 1963
k b e o rosae 17, 23, 24 + Farn. Centrarchidae
Mieruptems dolomisu (n) (exotic) 1, 12 -
Steindachner, 1894
Labeo rubrupunctatus (n) 18 - LacLpSde, 1802
Gilchrist&Thompson, 1913

+=Present; -=Absent; (n)=New record f o r river.

Ti l api a rendaZZi, Clarias gariepinus, Eutropius de-
p r e s s i r o s t r i s , Barbus mattozi and Barbus marequensis.
Chetia f l u v i v e n t r i s is often considered to be a
nuisance by anglers because of its small size and
abundance. In the Hans Strijdom Dam, however, C .
f l a v i v e n t r i s of 280-300 unn total length were sampled.
It is regrettable that CypKnus carpi0 has accidental-
ly found its way into this dam. This fish was not
stocked by the Transvaal Nature Conservation Division
and probably originates from escapees from farin dams
inundated by the Hans Strijdom Dam.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am indebted to the following persons: Dr P.H. Skel-
ton who checked the identification of fish species;
Mr R. Parris who read the manuscript; my colleagues
at the Institute f o r their help during the survey.
REFERENCES
BRUTON, M.N., P.B.N. JACKSON 8 P.H. SKELTON (1982).
Pocket guide to the freshwater fishes of Southern
Africa. Centaur Publishers, Cape Town.
GAIGHER, I.G. (1969). Aspekfe met betrekking tot
die ekologie, geografie en taksonouie van vars-
watervissoorte in die Limpopo- en Incomatirivier-
sisteem, Ph.D. Thesis, Rand Afrikaans University,
Joahnnesburg.
GAIGHER, I.G. (1979). The distribution, status and
factors affecting the survival of indigenous fishes
in the Cape Province. Cape Department of Nature
and Environhental Conservation, Cape Town. Internal
Report.
POTGIETER, F.J. (1974). 'n Ekologiese studie van die
rooiborskurper T i l q i a melanopleura (Dumeril, 1859)
(Pisces: Cichlidae) in Transvaal met verwysing na
geassosieerde varswatervissoorte. M.Sc. Disserta-
tion, Rand Afrikaans University, Johannesburg.
KEY WORDS
Fish species; Transvaal; checklist; Mogol River;
Palala River.
 KLEYNHANS
32

TABLE 2. A c h e c k l i s t of f i s h s p e c i e s from t h e P a l a l a R i v e r , Limpopo River System.

P r e s e n t survey Gaigher, Potgieter,

Species
l o c a l i t y no. I969 1974

Fam. Mormyridae
h'arcusenizts macrolepidotus (n) 9
( P e t e r s , 1852)
Petrocephalus catostoma 9
( G i n t h e r , 1866)
Fam. Characidae
Micralestes acirtidens (n) 9, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 -
( P e t e r s , 1852)
Fam. Cyprinidae
Barbus afilohamiltoni ( n ) 20
Crass, 1960
k r b u s annactazs (n) 2, 10, 1 1 , 14
C i l c h r i s t & Thompson, 1917
Earbus bif r e n a t u s (n) 1, 2, 5, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16
Fowler, 1935
Barbus b r e v i p i n n i s 1, 2 , 3 , 5 , 6, 10, 12, 13
Jubb, 1966
Barbus marequensis 5, 8, 9, 12, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20
Smith, 1841
Eurbus paludinosus 1, 2, 5, 10, 11, 12, 19, 20
P e t e r s , 1852
Barbus radiatus (n) 12, 16, 19
P e t e r s , 1853
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Barbus trimaculutus (n) 5, 9, 10, 1 1 , 16

P e t e r s , 1852
Barbus itnitaeniatus 10, 19, 20
G i n t h e r , 1866
Barbus viviparus 6, 12, 13, 19
Weber, 1897
Labeo cyZin&cus 8, 9, 19
P e t e r s , 1852
Labeo molybdinus 8, 9, 19
Du P l e s s i s , 1963
Labeo rosae 19
Steindachner, 1894
Labeo ruddi 19
Boulenger, 1907
Neobola b r e v i a n a l i s (n) 14, 17, 18, 19
(Boulenger, 1908)
Fam. C l a r i i d a e
~ Z a r i a sgariepinus 2, 8, 10, 12, 15 +
Fan. S c h i l b e i d a e
Eutropius d e p r e s s i r o s t r i s 14 -
( P e t e r s , 1852)
Fam. Mochokidae
Chiloglanis paratus (n) 20
C r a s s , 1960
ChilogZunis pretoriae (n) 7, 9
Van d e r Horst, 1931
Fam. Cyprinodontidae
Aplocheilichthys j o h n s t o n i i (n) 14, 16, 17, 18, 20 -
( G h t h e r , 1893)
Fam. C i c h l i d a e
Chetia f l u v i v e n t r i s 2, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, 16, 17, +
Trewavas, 1961 18, 19
Pseudocreni labrus p h i lander 1 , 2, 5, 6, 9, 12, 14, 17, +
(Weber, 1897) 18, 20
Greochromis mossambicics 8, 16, 19, 20 -
( P e t e r s , 1852)
Tilapia s p a r m a n i i 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, +
Smith, 1840 13, 14, 15, 16

+ Present; - = Absent; (n) = New r e c o r d f o r r i v e r

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