58 
Fishery Bulletin 96( 1 ), 1 998 
Symphurus pusillus (Goode and Bean, 1 885) 
(Figs. 6C, 28-31; Tables 1-10, 19) 
Northern tonguefish 
Aphoristia pusilla Goode and Bean, 1885:590 (origi- 
nal description; off Long Island, New York ). Goode 
and Bean, 1896:461 (based on preceding speci- 
mens; redescription, figure). 
Symphurus pusillus. Jordan and Goss, 1889:325 
(suggested synonymy with S. plagiusa). Jordan 
and Evermann, 1898:2710 (after Goode and Bean) 
(redescription, counts). Evermann and Marsh, 
1900:332 (in key). Chabanaud, 1939:26 (western 
Atlantic, Gulf Stream). Ginsburg, 1951:197 (rede- 
scription, comparison of type series). Fowler, 
1952:143 (New Jersey, offshore records). Topp and 
Hoff, 1972:108 (geographical distribution). 
Munroe, 1992:368, 377 (IB pattern; geographic, 
bathymetric distributions). 
Misidentsfications Baughman, 1950:138 (near Cor- 
pus Christi, Texas; specimen actually S. plagiusa). 
Longley and Hildebrand, 1941:50 (Tortugas, Florida; 
specimen actually S. piger). Kyle, 1913:145 (figure, 
brief description of symmetrical larval form; more 
probably S. ommaspilus, S. minor, or S. parvus). 
Diagnosis Symphurus pusillus differs from all con- 
geners by the combination of predominant 1-3-2 ID 
pattern; 12 caudal-fin rays; 4 hypurals; 83-88 dor- 
sal-fin rays; 71-75 anal-fin rays; 47-49 total verte- 
brae; 9 abdominal vertebrae; 77-87 scales in longi- 
tudinal series; black peritoneum; absence of pupil- 
lary operculum; teeth along entire margin of ocular- 
side jaws; ocular-side lower jaw without fleshy ridge; 
absence of scales on blind sides of dorsal- and anal- 
fin rays; absence of membrane ostia; relatively long 
(11.5-15.4% SL) caudal fin; ocular-surface pigmen- 
tation of crossbanding without caudal blotch; no pep- 
per-dot pigmentation on blind side of body; dorsal, 
anal, and caudal fins without spots. 
Description A dwarf species attaining maximum 
lengths of only about 77 mm SL. ID pattern usually 
1-3-2 (22/25 specimens), less frequently 1-2-3 or 1-3-3 
(Table 2). Caudal-fin rays 12 (Table 3). Dorsal-fin rays 
83-88 (Table 4). Anal-fin rays 71-75 (Table 5). Total 
vertebrae 47-49, usually 48-49 (22/26) (Table 6). 
Hypurals 4 (26/26). (Most specimens lacking scales 
with scale pockets often damaged. Therefore, scale 
counts, with exception of head scale rows, can only 
be estimated.) Longitudinal scale rows 77-87 (Table 
7). Scale rows on head posterior to lower orbit 17-19 
(Table 8). Transverse scales 33-34 (based only on 2/ 
19 specimens). 
Proportions of morphometric features presented in 
Table 19. Body moderately deep, maximum depth in 
anterior one-third of body; body tapering moderately 
posterior to midpoint. Preanal length smaller than 
body depth. Head relatively long and wide; narrower 
than body depth. Head nearly as long as wide 
(HW:HL 0.98-1.19, x=1.0). Lower head lobe width 
less than postorbital length; narrower than upper 
head lobe. Lower opercular lobe on ocular side con- 
