40 
Fishery Bulletin 96(1 ). 1998 
specimens with dark spot at upper angle of ocular- 
side opercle. Inner linings of both opercles and isth- 
mus on both sides of body usually unpigmented. Ocu- 
lar-side lips almost always pigmented; upper lip usu- 
ally with well-defined band of pigment, occasionally 
only lightly spotted; lower lip usually spotted, occa- 
sionally with dark pigment band. Specimens lack- 
ing scales uniformly yellowish to light brown with 
pattern of melanophores forming distinct V-shaped 
pigmentation on head region, dorsal and anterior to 
eyes. Blind side uniformly yellowish; some specimens 
(especially those without scales and faded in color) 
with median series of conspicuous dark black mel- 
anophores in dermis along axis of vertebral column (Fig. 
5B, number 9) on both sides of body (most obvious in 
middle and posterior regions of body). Peritoneum black, 
showing through abdominal wall on both sides. 
Dorsal and anal fins lightly pigmented anteriorly. 
Posterior to region of anteriormost crossband on body, 
basal portions of dorsal and anal fins usually darker, 
forming continuous narrow dark brown stripe on 
proximal portions of fin rays and connecting mem- 
branes; stripe not continuing across base of caudal 
fin. Specimens missing scales with series of black, 
dermal melanophores evident at bases of anterior- 
most dorsal-fin rays. Caudal fin with irregularly 
shaped spot on scaly portion of fin base; distal two- 
thirds of caudal fin generally unpigmented, occasion- 
ally speckled with melanophores to distalmost tips 
of fin rays. 
Size and sexual maturity (Fig. 8A} Symphurus 
billykrietei is a medium-size tonguefish attaining 
lengths to ca. 119 mm, although most specimens were 
smaller (56-105 mm). The largest fish, a female 
measuring 119.0 mm, was slightly larger than the 
largest male (112.2 mm). Among 92 specimens for 
which sex was determined, 37 were females (49.6- 
119.0 mm) and 55 males (50.1-112.2 mm). Sexual 
maturity occurs at a relatively large size (ca. 80 mm) 
in females. Of 37 females, 21 (80.9-119.0 mm) were 
mature with elongate and gravid ovaries. The small- 
est mature females were 80.9, 83.9, 85.0, and 87.4 
mm. Sixteen immature females (49.6-75.5 mm) had 
ovaries just undergoing elongation. 
Etymology This species is named in honor of Billy 
Kriete, a former marine scientist at VIMS, and a 
friend whose great sense of humor and friendship 
are sadly missed. 
Geographic distribution (Fig. 1 7J On the continen- 
tal shelf in the western North Atlantic primarily from 
off southern Nova Scotia (ca. 43°N) and southward 
along the continental shelf of the United States to 
Figure 1 7 
Geographic distribution of Symphurus billykrietei based on ma- 
terial examined (discussion of geographic distribution appears 
in species account). 
approximately Cape Hatteras, North Carolina (ca. 
35°N latitude). Records south of Cape Hatteras, al- 
though few and infrequent, include a single speci- 
men each from just south of Cape Hatteras (USNM 
327180 at 34°46'N), from the eastern Gulf of Mexico 
in the Straits of Florida south of Dry Tortugas (USNM 
158310), and from the southcentral Gulf of Mexico 
north of the Yucatan Peninsula (FMNH 88815). 
Although the majority of specimens have been col- 
lected off southern New England and the mid- Atlan- 
tic Bight, S. billykrietei is captured frequently off the 
southern Scotian Shelf. In fact, this may be the only 
Symphurus species to occur commonly on the outer 
continental shelf in this region. It is interesting to 
note that among fish collected on the Scotian Shelf 
were several gravid females, indicating that spawn- 
ing may occur even in northern portions of the spe- 
cies range. 
Symphurus billykrietei has occasionally been cap- 
tured in the Gulf of Mexico, although this species is 
apparently not abundant in deep waters of that re- 
gion. Extensive trawling surveys of deep-sea fishes 
from north, central, and western areas of the Gulf, 
conducted at depths where this species is expected, 
have yielded only a few specimens of this species. 
Bathymetric distribution Symphurus billykrietei is 
commonly collected on mud substrates on the outer 
continental shelf (Table 10) at depths ranging from 
117 m (one specimen, VIMS 1601) to 650 m (one speci- 
men, VIMS 9190). The bathymetric center of abun- 
dance, where over 91% (82/90) of specimens were 
collected, is in moderate depths between 201-380 m. 
Only two specimens were trawled at greater depths 
