Munroe: Systematics of western Atlantic Symphurus 
31 
Table 1 2 
Morphometries for holotype (ANSP 101985) and 39 other 
specimens of Symphurus arawak. (Abbreviations defined 
in methods section; SL is expressed in mm; characters 2 to 
14 are expressed in thousandths of SL; 15 to 21 in thou- 
sandths of HL; n = no. of specimens measured.) 
Character 
Holotype 
n 
Range 
Mean 
SD 
1. SL 
33.1 
40 
11.7-49.3 
28.2 
8.18 
2. BD 
254 
40 
254-377 
317.2 
24.98 
3. PDL 
94 
39 
49-145 
93.1 
15.12 
4. PAL 
302 
40 
188-350 
300.2 
30.96 
5. DBL 
909 
40 
649-941 
903.3 
44.33 
6. ABL 
695 
40 
495-776 
687.0 
39.75 
7. PL 
76 
36 
60-100 
83.6 
9.88 
8. PA 
66 
40 
43-99 
66.4 
10.53 
9. CFL 
160 
34 
120-204 
169.6 
17.99 
10. HL 
275 
40 
182-299 
265.8 
20.58 
11. HW 
299 
40 
225-316 
282.0 
17.04 
12. POL 
169 
40 
114-188 
156.6 
15.96 
13. UHL 
184 
40 
109-192 
153.3 
15.23 
14. LHL 
130 
40 
110-174 
140.0 
14.73 
15. POL 
615 
40 
500-660 
588.7 
34.46 
16. SNL 
198 
40 
163-307 
224.2 
32.90 
17. UJL 
231 
40 
200-333 
235.6 
23.42 
18. ED 
132 
40 
97-200 
144.1 
19.71 
19. CD 
165 
40 
132-347 
204.8 
36.14 
20. OPLL 
253 
39 
229-379 
288.5 
34.64 
21. OPUL 
220 
39 
159-303 
230.8 
30.17 
ered to tip with small ctenoid scales; scales not em- 
bedded, but rather deciduous. Dermal papillae well 
developed on snout and chin of blind side. Anterior 
nostril on ocular side moderately long, almost reach- 
ing anterior margin of lower eye when depressed 
posteriorly. Jaws moderately long; maxilla usually 
extending posteriorly to vertical through middle, or 
sometimes only to vertical through anterior margin 
of pupil of lower eye, rarely only reaching vertical 
through anterior margin of lower eye. Ocular-side 
lower jaw without fleshy ridge. Teeth well developed 
on all jaws. Ocular-side dentary usually with com- 
plete row of slender teeth; less frequently teeth 
present only on anterior three-fourths of dentary. 
Ocular-side premaxilla with single row of teeth on 
anterior three-fourths of margin of upper jaw. Chin 
depth nearly equal to length of snout. Lower eye 
large; eyes usually equal in position. Anterior and 
medial surfaces of eyes not covered with scales; usu- 
ally with 1 or 2, occasionally 3, small scales in nar- 
row interorbital region. Pupillary operculum absent. 
Dorsal-fin origin usually reaching point between ver- 
ticals through anterior margin and midpoint of up- 
per eye; predorsal length long. No scales on blind 
sides of dorsal- and anal-fin rays. Pelvic fin long; long- 
est pelvic-fin ray, when extended posteriorly, usually 
reaching base of first anal-fin ray. Posteriormost pel- 
vic-fin ray connected to body by delicate membrane 
terminating immediately anterior to anal-fin origin 
(membrane tom in many specimens). Caudal fin long. 
Scales large, strongly ctenoid on both sides of body. 
Pigmentation (Fig. 1 2} Coloration similar for both 
sexes. Ocular surface usually off-white or pale yel- 
lowish, with about one-half of individuals with 2-7 
(usually 4-5), conspicuous, dark brown, complete 
crossbands on body that sometimes extend onto fin 
rays. Other specimens with short, incomplete 
crossbands forming 6-10 large, and variably posi- 
tioned, dark brown blotches on body; blotches best 
developed on caudal one-third of body. Blotches 
(rarely large ovoid spots) in midbody region some- 
what offset, best developed on body in dorsal and 
ventral regions at bases of dorsal and anal fins. Each 
scale on body and head with numerous small mel- 
anophores, but background coloration pale in con- 
trast to dark crossbands or blotches on body. Mel- 
anophores more heavily concentrated on scales in 
caudal one-third of body, forming dark caudal patch 
in some specimens. Crossbands on body, relatively 
wide, usually 4-8 scale rows wide, and beginning 
immediately posterior to opercular opening and con- 
tinuing to base of caudal fin. Posteriormost pair of 
crossbands usually conjoined, forming darkly pig- 
mented, M- or Y-shaped mark near point approxi- 
mately one-third distance between caudal-fin base 
and opercular opening. Most specimens with narrow, 
dark, vertical bar extending from upper eye to dor- 
sal profile, otherwise head with same background 
coloration as found on body. Dorsal margin of outer 
surface of ocular-side opercle with small dark spot 
near opercular opening, but otherwise with same 
general background pigmentation as body. Inner lin- 
ings of both opercles and isthmus on both sides of 
body unpigmented. Band of pigmentation of variable 
intensity usually developed on ocular-side upper lip; 
lower lip on ocular side without pigmented band. 
Dark spot usually present in posterior angle of ocu- 
lar-side jaws. Blind side of body in approximately 
one-half of specimens (mostly those larger than ca. 
20 mm) with small pepper-dots extending variable 
distances along trunk, but usually best developed and 
most heavily concentrated in region overlying proxi- 
mal pterygiophores of dorsal- and anal-fin rays and 
covering entire caudal one-third of body (Fig. 5B). 
Peritoneum unpigmented. 
Anteriormost dorsal and anal fins without obvi- 
ous pattern of spots or blotches, but with dark brown 
melanophores along length of each finray; melano- 
phores becoming increasingly darker, almost dark 
brown or black, and more heavily concentrated in 
