76 
Fishery Bulletin 96(1 ), 1998 
Table 23 
Morphometries for holotypelMZUSP 12425) and 11 additional 
specimens of Symphurus kyaropterygium. (Abbreviations 
defined in methods section; SL is expressed in mm; char- 
acters 2 to 14 are expressed in thousandths of SL; 15 to 21 
in thousandths of HL; n = number of specimens measured.) 
Character 
Holotype 
n 
Range 
Mean 
SD 
1. SL 
119.6 
12 
31.9-119.6 
93.4 
23.46 
2. BD 
294 
12 
244-319 
298.7 
18.87 
3. PDL 
28 
12 
28-46 
35.5 
5.49 
4. PAL 
174 
12 
174-232 
209.8 
14.50 
5. DBL 
972 
12 
954-978 
964.2 
6.77 
6. ABL 
751 
12 
751-809 
783.4 
19.05 
7. PL 
71 
10 
59-85 
70.8 
7.05 
8. PA 
50 
11 
45-78 
58.4 
12.22 
9. CFL 
100 
11 
92-119 
107.3 
7.63 
10. HL 
156 
12 
156-210 
192.3 
15.23 
11. HW 
208 
12 
208-253 
235.2 
12.86 
12. POL 
105 
12 
105-142 
127.4 
10.54 
13. UHL 
130 
12 
130-175 
151.8 
14.30 
14. LHL 
100 
12 
82-115 
100.8 
9.81 
15. POL 
674 
12 
624-706 
663.2 
24.24 
16. SNL 
166 
12 
149-195 
170.5 
17.28 
17. UJL 
192 
12 
151-227 
192.1 
17.55 
18. ED 
139 
12 
117-164 
139.8 
14.29 
19. CD 
235 
12 
165-260 
211.7 
29.66 
20. OPLL 
294 
12 
179-370 
298.4 
46.78 
21. OPUL 
294 
12 
166-294 
213.0 
35.71 
along entire margin of dentary. Margin of ocular-side 
premaxilla with single row of teeth usually extend- 
ing to midpoint, occasionally teeth extending along 
margin of premaxilla to slightly posterior to midpoint 
and almost to vertical through anterior base of ante- 
rior nostril. Chin depth somewhat greater than snout 
length. Lower eye relatively large; slightly smaller 
than snout length; eyes usually equal in position, 
occasionally upper eye slightly in advance of lower. 
Anterior and medial surfaces of eyes partially cov- 
ered with 4-8 small ctenoid scales; 1-3 scales in nar- 
row interorbital region. Pupillary operculum well 
developed. Dorsal-fin origin usually equal with ver- 
tical through anterior margin of upper eye; occasion- 
ally slightly anterior to vertical through anterior 
margin of upper eye; predorsal length short. Basal 
part of dorsal-fin membrane from about seventh dor- 
sal-fin ray and backwards, and anal-fin membrane 
throughout entire length of fin, with series of open- 
ings (membrane ostia) between fin rays. Scales ab- 
sent on blind sides of dorsal- and anal-fin rays. Pel- 
vic-fin long; longest pelvic-fin ray, when extended 
posteriorly, usually reaching base of first anal-fin ray. 
Posteriormost pelvic-fin ray connected to body by deli- 
cate membrane terminating immediately anterior to 
anus, or occasionally extending posteriorly almost to 
anal-fin origin (membrane tom in most specimens). 
Caudal fin short. Scales moderate, ctenoid; with cteni 
about equally developed on both sides of body. 
Pigmentation (Fig. 38} Body coloration generally 
similar for both sexes. Ocular surface generally light 
brown, often mottled with diffuse areas of darker 
brown pigment, with large, conspicuous, vertically 
elongate dark brown blotch, approximately 5-7 scale 
rows in length and 7-9 scale rows wide, situated 3-5 
scale rows anterior to caudal-fin base. Scale margins 
on ocular side of body highlighted with pigment 
darker than general body coloration. Ocular-side 
outer opercle with same background coloration as 
body. Inner linings of opercles and isthmus on both 
sides of body unpigmented. Slight band of pigment 
on ocular-side upper lip; ocular-side lower lip infre- 
quently spotted, but without definite band of pig- 
ment. Blind side uniformly white or yellowish. Peri- 
toneum unpigmented. 
Dorsal- and anal-fin rays variously pigmented, 
becoming darker in posterior one-third of body, but 
without defined pattern of spots or blotches. Mem- 
brane between fin rays usually lighter than mem- 
brane covering fin rays, thereby clearly outlining 
each fin ray. Caudal fin generally pale; scaly basal 
portion of caudal fin more darkly pigmented than 
distal, scaleless half of fin, but without definite spot. 
Size and sexual maturity (Fig. 8F) Symphurus 
kyaropterygium is a medium-size species attaining 
lengths of ca. 120 mm. Of 12 specimens examined 
for size-related life history information, the three 
largest (120, 110, and 106 mm) were males, and the 
largest female ( 106 mm) appeared to be gravid. Two 
smaller females (74.1, 85.9 mm) were mature with 
elongate ovaries containing developing ova. These 
brief observations indicate that S. kyaropterygium 
matures at sizes of ca. 74-85 mm. 
Geographic distribution (Fig. 39) (Based on origi- 
nal material in Menezes and Benvegnu, 1976.) In- 
ner continental shelf waters in the western South 
Atlantic off Brazil from Baia da Ilha Grande, Rio de 
Janeiro (ca. 23°S, 44°30'W), to Rio Grande do Sul 
(31°24’S, 50°36'W). 
Bathymetric distribution On the basis of the lim- 
ited material available, this species apparently in- 
habits substrates consisting of mud or calcareous 
mud on the inner continental shelf between 36 and 
69 m (Table 10). 
Remarks Menezes and Benvegnu (1976) regarded 
the membrane ostia as a unique character distin- 
guishing S. kyaropterygium from all congeners. Since 
