Munroe: Systematics of western Atlantic Symphurus 
(one each at 397 and 650 m), whereas nine others 
were trawled at shallower depths (48-183 m). Speci- 
mens of the shallowest and deepest captures for this 
species were taken off Virginia. As with most other 
deepwater tonguefishes, little is known concerning 
the ecology of this species. 
Remarks One lot (UMML 27173) containing four 
specimens, one male (77.2 mm) and three gravid fe- 
males (68.4, 70.6, and 73.5 mm) collected at 366 m 
in the Straits of Florida south of the Dry Tortugas 
(24°18'N, 82°33'W), is tentatively identified as S. 
billykrietei, but not included in the type series or in 
summaries of counts, morphometries, and life his- 
tory information. These specimens agree in some 
characteristics, such as ID pattern, meristic features, 
and pigmentation, with other specimens of S. 
billykrietei. However, several differences between 
these fish and those identified as S. billykrietei pre- 
clude positive identification. Prominent crossbands 
on the ocular surface, a dark stripe along basal re- 
gions of the dorsal and anal fins, and presence of a 
pigmented spot at the caudal-fin base are character- 
istic of both S. billykrietei and S. ginsburgi. However, 
eye diameter measurements in these specimens are 
larger (133-155 HL) than those (ED 102-147 HL) 
usually encountered in S. billykrietei and are more 
similar to measurements of S. stigmosus (described 
below) or S. ginsburgi (see below). Another difference 
is that the eyeballs of these specimens are more 
rounded and contiguous along their uppermost bor- 
ders, quite unlike the condition found in S. ginsburgi 
or S. billykrietei , where the more elongate eyeballs 
are usually separated in the orbital sac by a small, 
but obvious, space. The rounded shape and close 
proximation of the eyeballs in these specimens is 
reminiscent of conditions found in S. stigmosus. But 
here again, significant differences between these 
specimens and those identified as S. stigmosus pre- 
clude positive identification. For example, specimens 
in UMML 27173 lack conspicuous blotches on dorsal 
and anal fins (characteristic of S. stigmosus ), all have 
a spot at the caudal-fin base not found on any S. 
stigmosus, and longitudinal scale counts of all four 
specimens are lower (85-91) than those for S. 
stigmosus. In fact, these scale counts are more simi- 
lar to those found in S. billykrietei or S. ginsburgi 
(Table 7). Possibly, these specimens are hybrids be- 
tween S. billykrietei and S. stigmosus. Alternatively, 
the similarity of many features of these specimens 
to those of S. ginsburgi raises the possibility that they 
are that species, to date known only from off south- 
eastern Brazil (at 21°S) to Uruguay. It is doubtful, 
however, that these specimens are S. ginsburgi, be- 
cause the eyeballs differ in shape and arrangement 
within the orbital sac in relation to those in speci- 
mens of S. ginsburgi from off South America. These 
specimens from the Straits of Florida would also rep- 
resent a northward extension of some 4,500-4,800 
km beyond the northernmost location previously re- 
corded for S. ginsburgi (see summary of capture lo- 
cations for that species listed below). 
Comparisons Among congeners, S. billykrietei is 
most similar to the western South Atlantic S. 
ginsburgi . Meristic features of these species overlap 
completely (see Tables 1-9), and there are many other 
similarities between these species in overall body 
shapes (see Table 15) and pigmentation patterns 
(compare Figs. 16 and 24). Despite varying degrees 
of overlap in 20 morphometric features examined, 
significant differences (P<0.05) were found 
(ANCOVA, Table 15) between these species in the 
following relations (Figs. 18-19): TKL on SL; HL on 
SL; SNL on HL; and for SNL, HL, UJL, and ED each 
regressed on trunk length. In a comparison of the 
two species, the most distinctive differences are that 
S. billykrietei has a longer trunk length in relation 
to its standard length, a shorter head with shorter 
postorbital length, and the snout, upper jaw, and eye 
are also smaller in comparison with those respective 
features in S. ginsburgi. Although several statisti- 
cally significant differences in morphometric features 
Table 1 5 
Shape differences between Symphurus ginsburgi (n= 53) 
and S. billykrietei (rc =53) revealed by ANCOVA for selected 
morphometric features. Abbreviations defined in methods 
section; asterisks indicate significant values (P<0.05). 
Species 
Relationship 
P 
ginsburgi 
billykrietei 
TKL = 0.801 SL - 1.29 
TKL = 0.827 SL - 2.13 
0.009* 
ginsburgi 
billykrietei 
HL = 0.199 SL + 1.30 
HL = 0.182 SL + 1.43 
0.004* 
ginsburgi 
billykrietei 
SNL = 0.218 HL - 0.148 
SNL = 0.141 HL + 0.877 
0.018* 
ginsburgi 
billykrietei 
SNL = 0.0522 TKL + 0.293 
SNL = 0.0376 TKL + 0.751 
0.005* 
ginsburgi 
billykrietei 
HL = 0.246 TKL + 1.72 
HL = 0.218 TKL + 2.02 
0.010* 
ginsburgi 
billykrietei 
UJL = 0.0505 TKL + 0.515 
UJL = 0.0405 TKL + 0.713 
0.041* 
ginsburgi 
billykrietei 
ED = 0.0348 TKL + 0.194 
ED = 0.0285 TKL + 0.117 
0.016* 
