70 
Fishery Bulletin 96( 1 ), 1 998 
tus for A. pigra ) are now paratypes (USNM 131590, 
131591) of S. minor Ginsburg. The whereabouts of 
specimens (unknown number) from Albatross Sta- 
tion 2425 (nontype status for A. pigra ) are unknown. 
Both Ginsburg and I were unsuccessful in locating 
these specimens. 
Comparisons Symphurus piger is only one of five 
species in the genus (the western Atlantic S. 
marginatus and eastern Pacific S. microlepis, S. 
diabolicus, and S. oligomerus are the others) with 
the combination of a 1-3-2 ID pattern, 12 caudal-fin 
rays, black peritoneum, and five hypurals. Sym- 
phurus piger is readily distinguished from S. 
marginatus by differences in pigmentation and by 
its lower and nonoverlapping meristic features. Fur- 
ther comparisons between S. piger and S. marginatus 
are listed in the “Comparisons” section of the species 
account for S. marginatus. A discussion of charac- 
teristics distinguishing S. piger from S. oligomerus, 
S. microlepis, and S. diabolicus follows after the com- 
parisons with other western Atlantic species. 
Among Atlantic species with a 1-3-2 ID pattern, S. 
piger is most similar in some meristic features to the 
western Atlantic S. pusillus, the eastern Atlantic S. 
nigrescens, and the shallow-water western Atlantic 
S. rhytisma. Symphurus piger is readily distin- 
guished from all three by its much larger scales (62 — 
75 longitudinal scales vs. 72-97 in these other spe- 
cies) and by its hypural count (5 vs. 4 in the others). 
Symphurus piger differs further from S. rhytisma in 
its black peritoneum (unpigmented in S. rhytisma) 
and by its much larger size (to at least 130 mm vs. 
45 mm in S. rhytisma). Features further distinguish- 
ing S. piger from S. pusillus (see Fig. 30) and S. 
rhytisma are discussed in the “Comparisons” sections 
in the accounts for each of those species. 
Differences between S. piger and other western At- 
lantic species (S. ginsburgi, S. billykrietei, S. stigmosus, 
and S. pelicanus ) possessing a 1-3-2 ID pattern, 12 cau- 
dal-fin rays, and a black peritoneum are discussed in 
the “Comparisons” sections of each species account. 
Symphurus piger is quite distinctive from S. 
microlepis and S. diabolicus, having a much stockier 
and deeper body with the greatest depth occurring 
in the anterior one-third, compared with S. microlepis 
or S. diabolicus which have a more elongate shape 
(BD 244-350 in S. piger vs. 203 and 279, respectively, 
for S. microlepis and S. diabolicus ) with body depth 
nearly equal over the anterior two-thirds. Symphurus 
piger has much lower meristic features in compari- 
son with those of the other species (dorsal-fin rays 
80-88 in S. piger vs. 106-109 in the others; anal-fin 
rays 68-74 vs. 92-94; 62-75 longitudinal scales vs. 
126-135; and 45-49 total vertebrae vs. 57-58 in S. 
microlepis and S. diabolicus). 
Symphurus piger is distinguished from S. oligo- 
merus by its relatively uniformly pigmented dorsal 
and anal fins (vs. dorsal and anal fins of S. oligomerus 
with alternating series of boldly pigmented blotches 
and unpigmented areas), and differences in many 
meristic features (those of S. piger listed first): 80- 
88 dorsal-fin rays vs. 87-97; 68-74 anal-fin rays vs. 
72-83; 62-75 longitudinal scales vs. 86-96; and 45- 
49 vs. 48-52 total vertebrae). 
