34 
Fishery Bulletin 96(1 ), 1998 
Figure 14 
Symphurus rhytisma Bohlke, FMNH 94821, 21.7 mm SL, Belize at Glovers Reef. 
Symphurus rhytisma Bohlke, 1 96 1 
(Figs. 6B, 14, 15; Tables 1-10, 13) 
Patchtai! tonguefish 
Symphurus rhytisma Bohlke, 1961:3 (original de- 
scription with photograph; Bahamas). Robins and 
Randall, 1965:334 (Curasao, Lagoen; counts, mea- 
surements). Bohlke and Chaplin, 1968:224 (distri- 
bution, redescription, counts, figure). Munroe, 
1990:485, 488 (comparison with eastern and mid- 
Atlantic species of Symphurus ). Munroe, 1992:368, 
377 (IB pattern; geographic, bathymetric distri- 
butions). 
Symphurus plagusia (not of Schneider, in Bloch and 
Schneider, 1801). Andreata and Seret, 1995:590 
(two specimens; inner continental shelf Brazil). 
Diagnosis Symphurus rhytisma is readily distin- 
guished from all congeners by the combination of 
1-3-2 ID pattern; 12 caudal-fin rays; 83-87 dorsal- 
fin rays; 68-71 anal-fin rays; 46-48 total vertebrae; 
91-97 scales in longitudinal series; unpigmented 
peritoneum; absence of pupillary operculum; absence 
of fleshy ridge on ocular-side lower jaw; teeth along 
entire margin of ocular-side jaws; absence of scales 
on blind sides of dorsal- and anal-fin rays; absence 
of membrane ostia in dorsal and anal fins; unpig- 
mented blind side; ocular surface pigmentation gen- 
erally consisting of several incomplete, dark brown 
crossbands contrasting against pallid background 
and of darkly pigmented blotch covering posterior 
one-third of ocular side of body (in all but largest 
specimens); with dorsal and anal fins unpigmented 
anteriorly, with pigmented blotches in midbody re- 
gion, and heavy pigmentation on both sides of fins 
in caudal region; and small adult size (<50 mm). 
Description Symphurus rhytisma is a dwarf spe- 
cies, attaining maximum size of only ca. 45 mm SL. 
ID pattern 1-3-2 (Table 2). Caudal-fin rays 12 (Table 
3). Dorsal-fin rays 83-87 (Table 4). Anal-fin rays 68- 
71 (Table 5). Total vertebrae 46-48, usually 47 (Table 
6). Hypurals 4 (9/9). Longitudinal scale rows 91-97 
(Table 7). Scale rows on head posterior to lower orbit 
18-20, usually 18 (Table 8). Transverse scales 43-45 
(Table 9). 
Proportions of morphometric features of specimens 
from Caribbean and Brazilian localities appear sepa- 
rately in Table 13 (description is based on Caribbean 
material only because the Brazilian specimens were 
in poor condition and measurements were imprecise 
and unreliable). Body moderately deep, maximum 
depth in anterior one-third of body; body depth ta- 
pering fairly moderately posterior to anus. Preanal 
length slightly shorter than body depth. Head long 
and narrow; head width considerably narrower than 
body depth. Head length usually just slightly shorter 
than head width (HW:HL 1.0-1. 3, ic=1.09). Postor- 
bital length considerably shorter than body depth. 
Lower head lobe moderately wide, less than postor- 
bital length; narrower than upper head lobe. Lower 
opercular lobe of ocular side considerably wider than 
