Munroe: Systematics of western Atlantic Symphurus 
75 
Figure 38 
Symphurus kyaropterygium Menezes and Benvegnu, holotype, MZUSP 12425, 119 mm SL, Brazil 26°34'S, 48°10'W. 
Symphurus kyaropterygium Menezes and 
Benvegnu, 1976 
(Figs. 8F, 38=39; Tables 1 = 10, 23J 
Symphurus parvus (not of Ginsburg, 1951). Roux, 
1973:175 (southern Brazil). 
Symphurus kyaropterygium Menezes and Benvegnu, 
1976:140 (original description with photograph; 
southern Brazil). Munroe, 1992:370, 381 (ID pat- 
tern; geographic, bathymetric distributions). 
Diagnosis Symphurus kyaropterygium is distin- 
guished from all congeners by the combination of 
1-4-2 ID pattern; membrane ostia in dorsal and anal 
fins; 10 caudal-fin rays; 4 hypurals; 80-87 dorsal-fin 
rays; 67-72 anal-fin rays; 46—49 total vertebrae; 73- 
81 scales in longitudinal series; presence of well-de- 
veloped pupillary operculum; unpigmented perito- 
neum; absence of scales on blind sides of dorsal- and 
anal-fin rays; with teeth along anterior three-fourths, 
or occasionally entire margin of ocular-side dentary; 
with teeth usually extending to midpoint, or slightly 
posterior to midpoint, of margin of ocular-side pre- 
maxilla; ocular surface pigmentation featuring dark 
brown blotch on caudal region of body; without pep- 
per-dot pigmentation on blind side of body; and dor- 
sal, anal, and caudal fins without spots or blotches. 
Description A medium-size species attaining a 
maximum length of ca. 120 mm SL. ID pattern usu- 
ally 1-4-2 (13/14 specimens), rarely 1-3-3 (Table 2). 
Caudal-fin rays usually 10 (13/14), rarely 11 (Table 
3). Dorsal-fin rays 80-87 (Table 4). Anal-fin rays 67- 
72 (Table 5). Total vertebrae 46-49, usually 47-48 
(12/14) (Table 6). Hypurals 4 (14/14). Longitudinal 
scale rows 73-81 (Table 7). Scale rows on head pos- 
terior to lower orbit 16-18, usually 16-17 (Table 8). 
Transverse scales 36-39 (Table 9). 
Proportions of morphometric features presented in 
Table 23. Body relatively deep; maximum depth in 
anterior one-third of body; body tapering fairly rap- 
idly posterior to midpoint. Preanal length consider- 
ably shorter than body depth. Head moderately long 
and wide, head width narrower than body depth. 
Head length smaller than head width ( HW:HL 1 .04- 
1.35, x =1.2). Lower head lobe width slightly less than 
postorbital length; slightly narrower than upper head 
lobe. Lower opercular lobe of ocular side wider than 
upper opercular lobe. Snout short, rounded, covered 
with small ctenoid scales. Dermal papillae present 
on blind-side snout, chin, and dorsal region of head 
preceding dorsal fin (better developed in larger speci- 
mens); ocular side with less extensive development 
of dermal papillae on snout extending posteriorly 
almost to level of eyes. Anterior nostril on ocular side 
short, when depressed posteriorly, usually falling just 
short of anterior margin of lower eye. Jaws short; 
maxilla usually extending posteriorly between, but 
not beyond, verticals through anterior border of lower 
eye and anterior margin of lower eye pupil. Ocular- 
side lower jaw without fleshy ridge. Teeth well de- 
veloped on blind-side jaws. Margin of ocular-side 
dentary usually with single row of small teeth ex- 
tending over anterior three-fourths, occasionally 
