48 
Fishery Bulletin 96(1 ), 1998 
bottom out to depths of 250 fathoms and greatly ham- 
pered gear efficiency in this area. If bottom condi- 
tions such as those predominate at locations inhab- 
ited by this species, it may account for the relatively 
small numbers of S. stigmosus captured thus far. 
Bathymetric distribution Twelve specimens of S. 
stigmosus were collected between 192 and 373 m 
(Table 10). Three were taken at depths of 192-202 m, 
whereas the remaining nine specimens were collected 
between 281 and 373 m. 
Remarks The specimen from off Dominica (MCZ 
27968) may be that identified by Goode and Bean 
(1896:461) as Aphoristia ( =Symphurus ) diomedea, 
and later cited, but stated as not having been exam- 
ined by Ginsburg (1951:194), despite a label in the 
jar that was signed and dated November, 1950, by 
Ginsburg identifying this specimen as S. plagusia. 
The specimen is in poor condition and completely 
faded. It is definitely not S. diomedeanus or S. 
plagusia because it has a 1-3-2 ID pattern, 12 cau- 
dal-fin rays, no pupillary operculum, and some black 
pigment remaining on the peritoneum (S. dio- 
medeanus and S. plagusia have a 1-4-3 ID pattern 
and an unpigmented peritoneum; S. diomedeanus 
also has 10 caudal-fin rays and a pupillary opercu- 
lum). The fact that Goode and Bean mistakenly iden- 
tified this fish as Aphoristia (=Symphurus) diomedea 
(a species they described that features prominent 
spots on the dorsal and anal fins) indicates that it 
probably had prominent blotches on the fins, char- 
acteristic of S. stigmosus, when first examined by 
Goode and Bean in the late 1800’s. 
Five specimens in UMML 15642 (53.7-89.5 mm) 
have counts and some measurements matching those 
for specimens of S. stigmosus and are tentatively 
identified as this species, but data for those speci- 
mens are not included in summaries. Although these 
fish have a relatively large eye, as in S. stigmosus, 
estimated ratios of eye diameter to trunk length for 
these specimens are somewhat lower (3. 4-3. 9) than 
that calculated for other specimens (3. 5-4. 8, but usu- 
ally greater than 4.0) of this species. Also, the eye- 
balls are not contiguous, as they are in other S. 
stigmosus specimens. Other features that would help 
in identifying these specimens, such as scale counts 
or fin pigmentation patterns, are unavailable because 
the specimens lack scales and large patches of skin, 
and are completely faded. 
Comparisons Within Symphurus, S. stigmosus is 
most similar to two other deepwater species in this 
species group, the western South Atlantic <S. 
ginsburgi and western North Atlantic S. billy krietei . 
The new species is distinguished from S. billykrietei 
in the “Comparisons” section of the species account 
for that species (see also Figs. 20-21). 
Symphurus stigmosus differs from S. ginsburgi in 
having the series of prominent, pigmented blotches 
alternating with unpigmented areas of equal or 
greater size on the posterior two-thirds of the dorsal 
and anal fins, a feature that is lacking in S. ginsburgi. 
Symphurus ginsburgi has a bold pattern of cross- 
banding on the ocular surface and has a pigmented 
spot on the scaly basal portion of the caudal fin, fea- 
tures lacking in S. stigmosus. In addition, the eye- 
balls of the two species differ in shape and appear- 
ance (compare Fig. 21, A-B). In S. stigmosus, the 
eyeball is more rounded, with upper aspects of the 
eyeballs contiguous, or nearly contiguous, within the 
orbital sac. In contrast, the eyeball of S. ginsburgi is 
more elongate with its length slightly greater than 
its width, and usually there is a small space between 
eyeballs within the fleshy orbital sac. Symphurus 
stigmosus differs further from S. ginsburgi in being 
a larger species, reaching lengths of ca. 127 mm (see 
Fig. 8B), with mature females being larger than 85 
mm (only three such females known), whereas S. 
stigmosus is much smaller, reaching maximum sizes 
of ca. 90 mm, with most (55/61, 90%) being smaller 
than 65 mm, and females maturing at sizes as small 
as 44 mm (gravid females as small as 51-53 mm). 
Among other western Atlantic Symphurus species 
with a 1-3-2 ID pattern and black peritoneum, mer- 
istic features of S. stigmosus overlap partially with 
those of S. marginatus, S. pusillus, and S. piger. 
Symphurus marginatus lacks the alternating series 
of darkly pigmented blotches and unpigmented ar- 
eas of greater size on the dorsal and anal fins present 
on the fins of S. stigmosus, and S. stigmosus lacks 
the dark brown blotch on the caudal region of the 
ocular side of the body featured in S. marginatus. 
Symphurus stigmosus also has lower meristic fea- 
tures (dorsal-fin rays 92-95 vs. 93-104 in S. 
marginatus', anal-fin rays 76-84 vs. 80-89, total ver- 
tebrae 51-52 vs. 51-56, usually 52-54 in S. margina- 
tus), and a relatively stockier and deeper body (great- 
est depth in anterior one-third of body vs. more elon- 
gate body with more uniform body depth and greatest 
depth at body midpoint in S. marginatus ). 
Symphurus stigmosus has some features reminis- 
cent of those observed in the sympatric S. pusillus 
but differs from this species in its higher, nonover- 
lapping, meristic features (dorsal-fin rays 92-95 vs. 
83-88 in S. pusillus; anal-fin rays 78-81 vs. 71-75; 
and 51-52 total vertebrae vs. 47-49 in S. pusillus), 
and dorsal and anal fin pigmentation. Symphurus 
stigmosus has a dark brown stripe along the basal 
margins of the dorsal and anal fins in combination 
