Munroe: Systematics of western Atlantic Symphurus 
45 
Symphurus stigmosus, new species 
(Figs. 8B, 20-23; Tables 1-10, 16) 
Blotchfin tonguefish 
Aphoristia diomedeana (not of Goode and Bean, 
1885). Goode and Bean, 1895:461 (in part) (speci- 
men from Blake station off Dominica (probably 
MCZ 27968) is S. stigmosus). 
Symphurus diomedianus (not of Goode and Bean, 
1885). Ginsburg, 1951:194 (in synonymy; based on 
specimen from off Dominica originally listed in 
Goode and Bean, 1896). 
Symphurus species C. Munroe, 1992:368, 377 (ID 
pattern; geographic, bathymetric distributions; 
data for S. stigmosus included in account of 
Symphurus species C). 
Holotype USNM 326635; (126.2 mm); off Yucatan 
Peninsula, 21°04'N, 86°19'W; 352 m; 10 Sep 1967. 
Collection information for six paratypes listed in 
Appendix. 
Diagnosis Symphurus stigmosus is a deepwater 
species, distinguished from all congeners by the fol- 
lowing combination of characters: predominant 1-3- 
2 ID pattern; 12 caudal-fin rays; 4 hypurals; 92-95 
dorsal-fin rays; 78-81 anal-fin rays; 51-52 total ver- 
tebrae; 98-100 scales in longitudinal series; black 
peritoneum; relatively large eye without pupillary 
operculum; eyeballs rounded with their uppermost 
aspects usually contiguous (Fig. 21A); teeth along 
entire margin of ocular-side jaws; ocular-side lower 
jaw without fleshy ridge; no scales on blind sides of 
dorsal- and anal-fin rays; ocular surface usually uni- 
formly light brown or yellowish, without prominent 
crossbands or darkly pigmented blotch on caudal 
region of body; blind side uniformly yellowish, with- 
out pepper-dots; dark brown longitudinal stripe on 
basal one-third of dorsal and anal fins covering both 
fin rays and intervening membranes; usually with 
series of distinct, darkly pigmented blotches alternat- 
ing with unpigmented areas of somewhat larger size 
on posterior two- thirds of dorsal and anal fins; and with 
caudal fin uniformly hyaline, without spots or blotches. 
Description A medium-size species attaining maxi- 
mum lengths of ca. 127 mm SL. ID pattern 1-3-2 
(Table 2). Caudal-fin rays 12(11/12 specimens), rarely 
11 (Table 3). Dorsal-fin rays 92-95 (Table 4). Anal- 
fin rays 78-81 (Table 5). Total vertebrae 51-52 (Table 
6). Hypurals 4 (12/12). Longitudinal scales 98-100 
(Table 7). Scale rows on head posterior to lower orbit 
19-22 (Table 8). Transverse scales 40-49 in five in- 
dividuals that could be counted (Table 9). 
Proportions of morphometric features presented in 
Table 16. Body relatively deep, maximum depth in 
anterior one-third of body; body depth tapering rap- 
idly posterior to midpoint. Trunk relatively long. 
Preanal length slightly shorter than body depth. 
Head moderately short and relatively wide, some- 
what narrower than body depth. Head length shorter 
than head width (HW:HL 1. 1-1.3, it =1.2). Postor- 
bital length considerably shorter than body depth. 
Lower head lobe width slightly less than postorbital 
length; somewhat narrower than upper head lobe. 
Lower opercular lobe of ocular side considerably 
