Munroe: Systematics of western Atlantic Symphurus 
79 
Table 24 
Morphometries for holotype (USNM 131643) and 30 addi- 
tional specimens of Symphurus minor. (Abbreviations de- 
fined in methods section; SL is expressed in mm; charac- 
ters 2 to 14 are expressed in thousandths of SL; 15 to 21 in 
thousands of HL; n = no. of specimens measured.) 
Character 
Holotype 
n 
Range 
Mean 
SD 
1. SL 
36.2 
31 
22.6-70.6 
48.1 
14.79 
2. BD 
279 
31 
207-324 
280.2 
23.48 
3. PDL 
77 
31 
46-80 
60.2 
9.70 
4. PAL 
260 
31 
209-292 
250.5 
17.12 
5. DBL 
975 
31 
672-975 
929.9 
51.73 
6. ABL 
729 
31 
532-775 
738.8 
42.01 
7. PL 
— 
28 
51-88 
74.4 
7.68 
8. PA 
61 
31 
30-77 
58.7 
12.06 
9. CFL 
— 
28 
108-152 
131.9 
10.65 
10. HL 
224 
31 
200-247 
222.6 
10.73 
11. HW 
232 
31 
198-256 
240.4 
12.99 
12. POL 
130 
31 
120-154 
142.6 
8.61 
13. UHL 
149 
31 
136-166 
152.0 
9.10 
14. LHL 
116 
31 
66-131 
105.8 
13.88 
15. POL 
580 
31 
580-704 
641.5 
29.66 
16. SNL 
222 
31 
146-222 
193.1 
18.60 
17. UJL 
247 
31 
172-247 
214.9 
17.46 
18. ED 
160 
31 
118-182 
148.6 
14.46 
19. CD 
210 
31 
145-263 
194.6 
30.40 
20. OPLL 
247 
31 
200-370 
277.2 
44.47 
21. OPUL 
222 
31 
132-265 
206.1 
29.60 
with small ctenoid scales. Dermal papillae usually 
well developed on blind side of snout; occasionally 
some papillae extending onto anterior region of ocu- 
lar-side snout. Anterior nostril on ocular side long, 
when depressed posteriorly, usually reaching ante- 
rior margin of lower eye. Jaws moderately long; max- 
illa usually extending posteriorly to vertical through 
anterior margin of pupil of lower eye; occasionally 
reaching vertical through middle of lower eye. Ocu- 
lar-side lower jaw without fleshy ridge. Teeth well 
developed on blind-side jaws. Teeth usually covering 
entire margin of ocular-side dentary, occasionally 
developed only on anterior three-fourths of dentary 
margin. Single row of slender teeth on anterior 
one-half to three-fourths of margin of ocular-side 
premaxilla (usually extending posteriorly to vertical 
through anterior base of anterior nostril). Chin depth 
usually about equal to snout length. Lower eye rela- 
tively large; eyes usually equal in position. Anterior 
and medial surfaces of eyes usually not covered with 
scales; usually 2-3 small ctenoid scales in narrow 
interorbital region. Pupillary operculum well devel- 
oped. Dorsal-fin origin usually at point between ver- 
ticals through midpoint and anterior margin of up- 
per eye pupil; predorsal length moderately long. 
Basal region of dorsal-fin membrane from about sev- 
enth dorsal-fin ray and backwards, and anal-fin mem- 
brane throughout entire length of fin, with series of 
openings (membrane ostia) between fin rays. 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 con- 
nected to body by delicate membrane terminating 
immediately anterior to anus, or occasionally extend- 
ing posteriorly to anal-fin origin (membrane torn in 
most specimens). Caudal fin long. Scales large, 
ctenoid on both sides of body. 
Pigmentation {Fig. 40) Body coloration generally 
similar for both sexes. Ocular surface usually light 
brown or straw-colored with variable number and 
arrangement of irregular dusky markings and 
well-developed dark brown blotch slightly anterior 
to caudal-fin base; occasional specimens with rather 
faint, dark brown, crossbands. Caudal blotch usu- 
ally 4-6 scales in length and 6-9 scales wide (usu- 
ally reaching across entire body); separated from 
caudal-fin base by 3-4 lightly pigmented scales. 
Crossbands, when present, diffuse, irregular, incom- 
plete, often widely interrupted midlaterally. 
Crossband at midlength of body often somewhat bet- 
ter developed. Ocular-side outer opercle with same 
background pigmentation as body. Small brown spot 
of variable intensity usually present on dorsal mar- 
gin of opercular opening. Inner linings of opercles 
and isthmus on both sides of body unpigmented. 
Usually a well-developed, dark brown band of pig- 
ment on ocular-side upper lip extending posteriorly 
to angle of jaws; lower lip infrequently lightly spotted, 
but without definite pigment band. Blind side uniformly 
white or yellowish. Peritoneum unpigmented. 
Dorsal and anal fins rather lightly pigmented an- 
teriorly, becoming increasingly darker posteriorly, but 
without distinct spots or blotches. Fin rays uniformly 
pigmented along their lengths. Membrane between 
fin rays usually lighter than membrane covering fin 
rays, thereby clearly outlining each fin ray. Scaly base 
of caudal fin with small, darkly pigmented area, but 
without definite spot; distal, scaleless portion of cau- 
dal fin lightly pigmented. Blind sides of caudal-fin 
rays and membrane often with pepper-dot pigmen- 
tation, especially conspicuous at fin base. 
Size and sexual maturity (Fig. 6E) Symphurus 
minor is a dwarf species attaining maximum lengths 
of ca. 78 mm (Ginsburg, 1951). The largest specimens 
examined in this study were females (68.1-70.6 mm). 
The largest males were only slightly smaller, mea- 
suring 63.3 and 64.4 mm. Most specimens ranged in 
size from 40 to 60 mm. For 67 specimens from which 
