Munroe: Systematics of western Atlantic Symphurus 
51 
(56/60 specimens), less frequently 1-2-3, 1-3-3, or 1- 
4-2 (Table 2). Caudal-fin rays normally 12 (49/55), 
less frequently 10 or 11 (Table 3). Dorsal-fin rays 87- 
95 (Table 4). Anal-fin rays 74-81 (Table 5). Total ver- 
tebrae 50-52 (58/58), usually 51-52 (Table 6). 
Hypurals 4 (58/58). Longitudinal scale rows 87-94 
(Table 7). Scale rows on head posterior to lower orbit 
15-20, usually 18-21 (Table 8). Transverse scales 32- 
44, usually 37—42 (Table 9). 
Proportions of morphometric features presented in 
Table 17. Body moderately deep; maximum depth in 
anterior one-third of body; body tapering rapidly pos- 
terior to midpoint. Trunk relatively short. Preanal 
length shorter than body depth. Head long and nar- 
row, head width slightly narrower than body depth. 
Head length usually shorter than head width 
(HW:HL 0.96-1.25, 3c = 1 . 1 ). Postorbital length con- 
siderably shorter than body depth. Lower head lobe 
width less than postorbital length; narrower than 
upper head lobe. Lower opercular lobe of ocular side 
considerably wider than upper opercular lobe. Snout 
moderately long and somewhat pointed; covered with 
small ctenoid scales. Dermal papillae present, but 
not well developed on blind-side snout. Anterior nos- 
tril on ocular side, when depressed posteriorly, just 
Table 1 7 
Morphometries for holotype (MZUSP 12339) and 54 addi- 
tional specimens of Symphurus ginsburgi. (Abbreviations 
defined in methods section; SL is expressed in mm; char- 
acters 2 to 15 are expressed in thousandths of SL; 16 to 22 
in thousandths of HL; n = no. of specimens measured.) 
Character 
Holotype 
n 
Range 
Mean 
SD 
1. SL 
61.5 
54 
30.8-90.4 
51.9 
15.14 
2. BD 
293 
30 
205-324 
285.8 
25.67 
3. TKL 
769 
54 
743-795 
773.6 
12.93 
4. PDL 
58 
30 
33-79 
59.9 
9.97 
5. PAL 
249 
30 
201-271 
240.2 
17.18 
6. DBL 
942 
30 
921-971 
939.4 
10.17 
7. ABL 
728 
30 
693-795 
742.3 
22.86 
8. PL 
58 
27 
54-89 
67.8 
8.22 
9. PA 
57 
30 
46-94 
62.5 
8.69 
10. CFL 
122 
26 
104-148 
123.3 
8.76 
11. HL 
231 
54 
205-257 
226.6 
12.66 
12. HW 
263 
30 
220-272 
244.0 
14.28 
13. POL 
143 
54 
133-159 
145.3 
6.73 
14. UHL 
163 
28 
116-181 
150.2 
16.36 
15. LHL 
122 
30 
96-138 
113.1 
9.80 
16. POL 
620 
54 
587-746 
642.2 
29.38 
17. SNL 
197 
54 
156-284 
204.9 
23.56 
18. UJL 
183 
54 
177-253 
217.5 
18.99 
19. ED 
155 
54 
116-164 
136.6 
10.92 
20. CD 
254 
30 
152-271 
226.5 
27.73 
21. OPLL 
324 
30 
214-364 
287.0 
36.28 
22. OPUL 
211 
30 
160-312 
220.1 
39.03 
reaching anterior margin of lower eye in about one- 
half specimens examined; just short of reaching an- 
terior margin of lower eye in remainder of specimens. 
Jaws short; maxilla usually extending posteriorly to 
vertical through anterior margin of lower eye, less 
frequently reaching vertical through anterior mar- 
gin of pupil of lower eye. Ocular-side lower jaw with- 
out fleshy ridge. Teeth well developed on blind-side 
jaws. Lower jaw on ocular side with row of teeth along 
complete margin of jaw. Usually only anterior 
three-fourths of margin of ocular-side premaxilla 
with row of slender teeth. Chin depth usually equal 
to or slightly larger than snout length. Lower eye 
moderately large and somewhat elongate; eyes usu- 
ally equal in position or with upper eye slightly in 
advance of lower eye and usually with small space 
between eyeballs within orbital sac. Anterior and 
medial surfaces of eyes covered with 3-5 rows of small 
scales; 4-8 small ctenoid scales in narrow interor- 
bital region. Pupillary operculum absent. Dorsal-fin 
origin usually at vertical through anterior margin of 
pupil of upper eye; occasionally anterior to vertical 
through anterior margin of upper eye, or rarely more 
posterior and at vertical through midpoint of pupil 
of upper eye; predorsal length moderate. Scales ab- 
sent on blind sides of dorsal- and anal-fin rays. Pel- 
vic fin long; longest pelvic-fin ray, when extended 
posteriorly, usually reaching base of first anal-fin ray. 
Posteriormost pelvic-fin ray connected to body by 
delicate membrane terminating immediately ante- 
rior to anus, or occasionally extending more posteri- 
orly almost to anal-fin origin (membrane torn in 
many specimens). Caudal fin moderately long. Scales 
small, strongly ctenoid on ocular side, less strongly 
ctenoid on blind side. 
Pigmentation (Fig. 24J Coloration similar for both 
sexes. Ocular surface usually light brown to yellow- 
ish with small dark melanophores scattered over 
body surface, and usually with 2-5 (usually 4) irregu- 
lar, dark brown crossbands on head and body. 
Crossbands on body 4-10 scale rows wide, not con- 
tinued onto dorsal and anal fins. Anteriormost 
crossband on opercular region of head, faintly pig- 
mented. Body crossbands, except second anterior- 
most, more intensely shaded dorsally and ventrally, 
somewhat diffuse along body midsection. Second 
crossband, located immediately posterior to opercu- 
lum, almost always continuous across body and most 
intensely pigmented. Ocular-side outer opercle usu- 
ally with same general background coloration as 
body; occasionally with small pigmented spot at angle 
of operculum. Inner linings of opercles and isthmus 
on both sides of body unpigmented. Ocular-side lips 
usually with small speckling of pigment spots, but 
