62 
Fishery Bulletin 96( 1 ), I 998 
Figure 32 
Symphurus marginatus (Goode and Bean), USNM 236609, 115 mm SL, Florida 29°39'N, 80°11'W. 
Symphurus marginatus (Goode and Bean, 
1 886 | 
(Figs. 8C, 32-33; Tables 1-10, 20} 
Margined tonguefish 
Aphoristia marginata Goode and Bean, 1886:154 (in 
part); (original description; Gulf of Mexico, off 
Mississippi; nontype specimen from Fish Hawk 
Station 1154 belongs to S. nebulosus). Goode and 
Bean, 1896:459 (in part); (redescription with fig- 
ure; based on Goode and Bean, 1886). 
Symphurus marginatus . Jordan and Goss, 1889:323 
(after Goode and Bean). Jordan and Evermann, 
1898:2706 (after Goode and Bean). Evermann and 
Marsh, 1900:332 (in key). Chabanaud, 1939:26 
(American Atlantic). Ginsburg, 1951:198 (counts, 
measurements, distribution, in key). Fowler, 
1952:143 (New Jersey, offshore record based on 
Goode and Bean). Bright, 1968:58 (four specimens, 
central Gulf of Mexico; 585-732 m). Topp and Hoff, 
1972:107 (geographical distribution). Potts and 
Ramsey, 1987:88 (Gulf of Mexico; color description; 
333-832 m). Seret and Andreata, 1992:94 (one 
specimen; southern Brazil; 600 m). Munroe, 
1992:368, 377 (ID pattern; geographic, bathymet- 
ric distributions). 
Symphurus diomedianus (not of Goode and Bean, 
1885). Longley and Hildebrand, 1941:49 (Tortugas, 
Florida). 
Symphurus plagusia (not of Schneider, in Bloch and 
Schneider, 1801). Seret and Andreata, 1992:94 
(southern Brazil; five specimens; 640 m). 
Diagnosis Symphurus marginatus is a deepwater 
species that can be distinguished from all congeners 
by the following combination of characters: predomi- 
nant 1-3-2 ID pattern; 12 caudal-fin rays; 4, or less 
frequently, 5 hypurals; 93-104 dorsal-fin rays; SO- 
SO anal-fin rays; 51-56 total vertebrae; 86-99 scales 
in longitudinal series; absence of pupillary opercu- 
lum; black peritoneum; teeth along entire margin of 
ocular-side jaws; absence of fleshy ridge on ocular- 
side lower jaw; absence of scales on blind sides of 
dorsal- and anal-fin rays; elongate, somewhat slen- 
der body of nearly uniform depth along anterior two- 
thirds; ocular surface pigmentation featuring dark 
brown caudal blotch; posterior one-third of dorsal and 
anal fins with large caudal blotch, but without spots; 
and caudal fin without spots or blotches. 
Description A medium-size species attaining a 
maximum length of ca. 146 mm SL. ID pattern usu- 
ally 1-3-2 (77/98 specimens), less frequently 1-3-3 (11/ 
98) and 1-2-3, rarely 1-2-2 (Table 2). Caudal-fin rays 
12 (97/101), rarely 11 or 13 (Table 3). Dorsal-fin rays 
93-104, usually 95-101 (Table 4). Anal-fin rays 80- 
89 (Table 5). Total vertebrae 51-56, usually 52-54 
(92/97) (Table 6). Hypurals 4 (41/57 specimens), less 
frequently 5 (16/57 specimens). Longitudinal scale 
rows 86-99, usually 88-96 (Table 7). Scale rows on 
head posterior to lower orbit 16-19, usually 17-18 
(Table 8). Transverse scales 30-37 (Table 9). 
Proportions of morphometric features presented in 
Table 20. Body relatively elongate, of nearly uniform 
width along anterior two-thirds, with gradual taper 
