Munroe: Systematics of western Atlantic Symphurus 
27 
(22/27 specimens), rarely 2-2-2 or 1-2-3 (Table 2). 
Caudal-fin rays 14 (24/27), infrequently 13 or 16 
(Table 3). Dorsal-fin rays 105-113, usually 107-111 
(Table 4). Anal-fin rays 91-98, usually 93-98 (Table 
5). Total vertebrae 57-60 (25/27), usually 58-59 
(Table 6). Hypurals usually 5 (19/20 individuals), 
rarely 4 (1/20). Longitudinal scale rows 120-135, 
usually 125-130 (Table 7). Scale rows on head poste- 
rior to lower orbit 19-24, usually 21-22 (Table 8). 
Transverse scales 43-50 (Table 9). 
Proportions of morphometric features presented in 
Table 11. Body notably slender; of nearly uniform 
width for most of length with gradual taper in poste- 
rior one-fourth of body. Preanal length slightly 
smaller than body depth. Head long and narrow; 
usually slightly narrower than body depth. Head 
length slightly shorter than head width (HW: 
HL=1.00-1.28, x=1.20). Upper head lobe notably 
narrow and usually slightly smaller than postorbital 
length. Lower head lobe wide, slightly less than post- 
orbital length; usually projecting posteriorly beyond 
upper head lobe. Snout moderately short, somewhat 
rounded; with scaleless area on dorsal portion. Der- 
mal papillae well developed on blind-side snout and 
chin; papillae usually not extending posteriorly to 
vertical equal with dorsal-fin origin. Anterior nostril 
Table 1 1 
Morphometries for holotype (MCZ 27966) and 22 other 
specimens of Symphurus nebulosus. (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 
76.6 
23 
45.0-86.2 
72.6 
10.18 
2. BD 
243 
23 
165-282 
233.5 
23.92 
3. PDL 
54 
23 
33-69 
50.3 
9.41 
4. PAL 
236 
23 
163-246 
223.2 
17.73 
5. DBL 
946 
23 
931-967 
949.7 
9.41 
6. ABL 
739 
23 
708-790 
757.0 
19.44 
7. PL 
57 
20 
46-81 
65.4 
8.30 
8. PA 
63 
21 
37-67 
49.3 
9.06 
9. CFL 
— 
21 
80-116 
102.4 
10.42 
10. HL 
187 
23 
159-208 
186.7 
12.40 
11. HW 
215 
23 
186-239 
216.4 
13.45 
12. POL 
127 
23 
110-133 
124.0 
6.44 
13. UHL 
124 
23 
64-144 
122.4 
16.20 
14. LHL 
91 
23 
82-129 
103.6 
10.85 
15. POL 
678 
23 
620-711 
665.6 
26.87 
16. SNL 
189 
23 
160-248 
208.7 
22.91 
17. UJL 
182 
22 
169-248 
206.9 
20.23 
18. ED 
133 
23 
94-133 
114.2 
11.50 
19. CD 
147 
23 
141-308 
210.0 
38.56 
20. OPLL 
329 
23 
233-479 
358.4 
49.47 
21. OPUL 
126 
23 
126-253 
188.7 
35.64 
on ocular side short when depressed posteriorly, not 
reaching anterior margin of lower eye. Jaws short, 
slightly arched; maxilla usually extending posteri- 
orly to vertical through anterior margin of pupil of 
lower eye; less frequently, extending posteriorly to 
point between verticals through middle and anterior 
margin of lower eye. Ocular-side lower jaw without 
fleshy ridge. Teeth well developed on jaws. Margins 
of ocular-side dentary and premaxilla usually with 
complete row of slender teeth; less frequently, with 
teeth only on anterior two-thirds of premaxillary 
margin. Chin depth usually just slightly larger than 
snout length. Lower eye small; subelliptical; eyes 
usually equal in position or upper eye slightly in 
advance of lower eye. Anterior and medial surfaces 
of eyes usually without scales; 1-3 small scales usu- 
ally in narrow interorbital space. Pupillary opercu- 
lum absent. Dorsal-fin origin posteriorly placed, usu- 
ally almost equal with vertical through middle of 
upper eye; less frequently reaching vertical through 
anterior margin of pupil, or occasionally reaching 
vertical through posterior margin of upper eye; 
predorsal length moderate. Anteriormost dorsal-fin 
rays shorter and with wider separation between 
bases than more posterior fin rays. Scales absent on 
blind sides of dorsal- and anal-fin rays. Pelvic fin 
moderately long; longest pelvic-fin ray, when ex- 
tended posteriorly, usually reaching base of first, 
sometimes second, anal-fin ray. Posteriormost pel- 
vic-fin ray connected to body by delicate membrane 
terminating immediately anterior to anus, or occa- 
sionally extending posteriorly almost to anal-fin ori- 
gin (membrane torn in specimens examined). Cau- 
dal fin short. Scales small, numerous, strongly 
ctenoid on both sides of body. 
Pigmentation (Fig. 10J Body coloration generally 
similar for both sexes. Ocular surface of head and 
body almost always uniformly straw-colored to dark 
brown, sometimes with overlying pattern of ill-de- 
fined dark brown cloudy areas, but otherwise with- 
out distinctive markings. Abdominal area immedi- 
ately posterior to opercular opening, sometimes 
darker than general body color. Individual scales on 
ocular side have underlying longitudinal streak of 
black pigment; about 40-60 longitudinally continu- 
ous pigmented streaks along ocular-side length. 
Outer surface of ocular-side opercle generally with 
similar background coloration as on body; inner lin- 
ings of opercles and isthmus on both sides of body 
yellowish-white. Slight pigment band occasionally 
present on ocular-side upper lip (not in most speci- 
mens examined). Blind side off-white; usually with 
median line of internal black spots showing through 
skin along axis of vertebral column. Smaller speci- 
