Munroe: Systematics of western Atlantic Symphurus 
67 
TafaJe 2 1 
Morphometries for holotype (MCZ 27965) and 32 additional 
specimens of Symphurus piger. (Abbreviations defined in 
methods section; SL is expressed in mm; characters 2 to 
14 are expressed in thousandths of SL; 15 to 21 in thou- 
sandths of HL; n = no. of specimens measured.) 
Character 
Holotype 
n 
Range 
Mean 
SD 
1. SL 
84.6 
33 
58.6-120.5 
85.0 
14.71 
2. BD 
314 
33 
244-350 
322.5 
23.09 
3. PDL 
53 
33 
46-90 
58.4 
7.98 
4. PAL 
260 
33 
176-327 
255.4 
26.40 
5. DBL 
947 
33 
910-954 
941.6 
7.98 
6. ABL 
742 
33 
730-778 
748.5 
12.65 
7. PL 
58 
33 
58-86 
73.3 
7.13 
8. PA 
32 
33 
28-67 
46.1 
9.09 
9. CFL 
142 
33 
103-168 
147.9 
13.92 
10. HL 
234 
33 
182-256 
236.8 
12.58 
11. HW 
266 
33 
242-313 
276.8 
13.63 
12. POL 
155 
33 
149-226 
160.6 
13.22 
13. UHL 
147 
33 
124-198 
171.3 
13.08 
14. LHL 
136 
33 
103-142 
126.5 
9.76 
15. POL 
662 
33 
633-910 
680.0 
61.58 
16. SNL 
182 
33 
172-282 
203.7 
19.10 
17. UJL 
202 
33 
188-338 
228.2 
29.60 
18. ED 
146 
32 
101-167 
118.1 
13.84 
19. CD 
222 
33 
190-317 
232.5 
26.91 
20. OPLL 
328 
33 
269-401 
321.8 
29.94 
21. OPUL 
242 
33 
170-375 
226.9 
37.52 
than body depth. Head long and wide; head length 
shorter than body depth. Head much shorter than 
wide (HW:HL 1.03-1.44, x=1.21). Lower head lobe 
width considerably less than postorbital length; nar- 
rower than upper head lobe. Lower opercular lobe of 
ocular side considerably wider than upper opercular 
lobe. Snout short, somewhat rounded; covered with 
small ctenoid scales. Dermal papillae usually well 
developed on blind side of snout. Anterior nostril on 
ocular side long, when depressed posteriorly, reach- 
ing anterior border of lower eye in about one-half of 
specimens, falling just short of anterior margin of 
lower eye in remaining specimens. Jaws long; max- 
illa usually extending posteriorly to vertical through 
mid-point of lower eye; less frequently reaching ver- 
tical through posterior margin of pupil of lower eye. 
Ocular-side lower jaw without fleshy ridge. Teeth well 
developed on blind-side jaws. Teeth along entire 
margin of ocular-side dentary. Anterior three-fourths 
of margin of ocular-side premaxilla usually with 
teeth; occasionally teeth over entire marginal sur- 
face of premaxilla. Chin depth slightly larger than 
snout length. Lower eye relatively small; eyes usu- 
ally equal in position. Anterior and medial surfaces 
of eyes usually covered with 4-5 short rows of small 
ctenoid scales; 3-7 small ctenoid scales in narrow 
interorbital region . Pupillary operculum absent. Dor- 
sal-fin origin usually equal with vertical through 
posterior margin of pupil of upper eye, occasionally 
reaching vertical through anterior margin of upper 
eye. Scales absent on blind sides of dorsal- and anal- 
fin rays. Pelvic fin moderately 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 terminat- 
ing immediately anterior to anus, or occasionally 
extending posteriorly almost to anal-fin origin (mem- 
brane torn in most specimens). Caudal fin long. 
Scales large, ctenoid; with cteni about equally devel- 
oped on both sides of body. 
Pigmentation (Fig. 34J Coloration generally simi- 
lar in both sexes. Ocular surface usually dark brown 
with 3-10 (usually 5-8) well-developed, darker 
brown, sharply-contrasting, rather narrow cross- 
bands on head and body. Crossbands continued onto 
dorsal and anal fins as small, elongate or irregularly 
shaped, somewhat diffuse, blotches. Occasionally, 
crossbands scarcely evident against exceptionally 
dark background coloration. Individuals from sev- 
eral locations presumably collected on light-colored 
sandy substrates yellowish, with faint, almost im- 
perceptible crossbands. Older specimens mostly 
faded with little evidence of crossbanding. First 
crossband on body immediately posterior to opercu- 
lum. Second and third crossbands, usually darkest; 
crossing body immediately posterior to operculum and 
almost at midpoint, respectively. Number and degree 
of completeness of crossbands variable in posterior one- 
half of body. Posteriormost crossband just anterior to 
caudal-fin base. Ocular-side outer opercle with back- 
ground coloration as body. Inner linings of both opercles 
and isthmus on both sides of body lightly pigmented. 
Ocular-side lips usually with dark band of pigment, 
occasional specimens with only light spotting on lips. 
Blind side uniformly yellowish-white. Peritoneum 
black, visible through abdominal wall on both sides. 
Dorsal and anal fins generally lightly pigmented 
anteriorly, usually becoming increasingly darker 
brown, but not black, on posterior one-third to one- 
half of body; dorsal and anal fins without definite 
spots. Fin rays usually evenly pigmented along their 
lengths. Dorsal and anal fins more heavily sprinkled 
with melanophores, or with melanophores coalesced 
into irregular elongate blotches, in regions proximate 
to body crossbands. Caudal-fin rays and membranes 
uniformly darkly pigmented throughout length of fin; 
without pigmented spot at caudal-fin base. 
Size and sexual maturity (Fig. 8D) Symphurus 
piger is a medium-size species attaining a maximum 
