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Fishery Bulletin 96( 1 ), 1998 
Figure 34 
Symphurus piger (Goode and Bean), USNM 159211, 106 mm SL, French Guiana 7°18'N, 53°32'W. 
Symphurus piger (Goode and Bean, 1886J 
(Figs. 8D, 30, 34-35; Tables 1-10, 21} 
Deepwater tonguefish 
Aphoristia pigra Goode and Bean, 1886:154 (in part) 
(original description; more than one species in ac- 
count). Goode and Bean, 1896:460 (in part) (rede- 
scription, figure; based on specimens in previous 
citation). Cockerell, 1912:172 (brief discussion and 
figure of scales). 
Symphurus piger. Jordan and Goss, 1889:326 (after 
Goode and Bean, 1886). Jordan and Evermann, 
1898:2705 (after Goode and Bean, 1886). Ever- 
mann and Marsh, 1900:332 (in key). Chabanaud, 
1939:26 (Caribbean Sea, 457 m). Ginsburg, 
1951:197 (in part; more than one species in rede- 
scription; designation of lectotype). Topp and Hoff, 
1972:108 (distribution). Guitart, 1978:727 (Cuba; 
figure, counts, in key). Potts and Ramsey, 1987:89 
(Gulf of Mexico; color description; 92-194 m). 
Munroe, 1992:368, 377 (ID pattern; geographic, 
bathymetric distributions). 
Symphurus pusillus (not of Goode and Bean, 1885). 
Longley and Hildebrand, 1941:50 (Tortugas, 
Florida). 
Diagnosis Symphurus piger is a deepwater species 
distinguished from all congeners by the combination 
of predominant 1-3-2 ID pattern; 12 caudal-fin rays; 
5 hypurals; 80-88 dorsal-fin rays; 68-74 anal-fin 
rays; 45-49 total vertebrae; 62-75 scales in longitu- 
dinal series; black peritoneum; absence of pupillary 
operculum; teeth along entire margin of ocular-side 
jaws; absence of fleshy ridge on ocular-side lower jaw; 
absence of scales on blind side of dorsal- and anal- 
fin rays; wide body; wide head; ocular surface pig- 
mentation with strong crossbanding pattern with- 
out caudal blotch; and dorsal, anal, and caudal fins 
without spots or blotches. 
Description A medium-size Symphurus attaining 
maximum lengths of ca. 130 mm SL. ID pattern usu- 
ally 1-3-2 (137/141 specimens), rarely 1-2-2 or 1-3-3 
(Table 2). Caudal-fin rays usually 12 ( 134/139), rarely 
10, 11, or 13 (Table 3). Dorsal-fin rays 80-90, usu- 
ally 83-88 (Table 4). Anal-fin rays 68-74 (Table 5). 
Total vertebrae 45-49, usually 47^19 (137/142) (Table 
6). Hypurals 5 (138/139 specimens; 1/139 with 4 
hypurals). Longitudinal scale rows 62-75, usually 
66-73 (Table 7). Scale rows on head posterior to lower 
orbit 16-21, usually 17-19 (Table 8). Transverse 
scales 32-38 (Table 9). 
Proportions of morphometric features presented in 
Table 21. Body relatively deep, maximum depth in 
anterior one-third of body; body tapering relatively 
rapidly posterior to midpoint. Preanal length shorter 
