26 
Fishery Bulletin 96(1 ), 1998 
Species accounts 
Figure 10 
Symphurus nebulosus (Goode and Bean), UMO 311.8, 76.7 mm SL, North Atlantic 40°48'N, 66°36'-38'W. 
Symphurus nebulosus (Goode and Bean, 
1883| f Figs. 1A, 7, 10C, 1 1; Tables 1-11} 
Freckled tonguefish 
Aphoristia nebulosa Goode and Bean, 1883:192 (origi- 
nal description, counts, measurements; 421 m; Gulf 
Stream, 32°07'N, 78°37'30"W). Gunther, 1887:167 
(based on Goode and Bean, 1883). Goode and Bean, 
1896:458 (redescription, figure of holotype). 
Aphoristia marginata (not of Goode and Bean, 1886). 
Goode and Bean, 1886:154 (in part; specimen from 
Fish Hawk Station 1154 is S. nebulosus). 
Symphurus (Acedia) nebulosus. Jordan and Goss, 
1889:321-323, 326-327 (new subgenus; redescrip- 
tion based on Goode and Bean, 1883; in key). Jor- 
dan and Evermann, 1898:2712 (in key; redescrip- 
tion of holotype; counts, measurements, color de- 
scription). Evermann and Marsh, 1900:332 (in 
key). 
Symphurus nebulosus . Chabanaud, 1939:26 (Atlan- 
tic coast of Carolinas). Chabanaud, 1952:5 (brief 
comparison with S. ligulatus). Ginsburg, 1951:200 
(redescription, counts, measurements for three 
specimens; off Long Island, New York, to northern 
Florida). Munroe, 1990:475 (comparison with S. 
ligulatus). Munroe, 1992:367, 374 (ID pattern; geo- 
graphic, bathymetric distributions). 
Diagnosis Symphurus nebulosus is the only west- 
ern Atlantic tonguefish with the combination of a 
1-2-2 ID pattern and 14 caudal-fin rays. The follow- 
ing combination of characteristics distinguishes S. 
nebulosus from all congeners, except the eastern At- 
lantic S. ligulatus : predominant 1-2-2 ID pattern; 14 
caudal-fin rays; 5 hypurals; 57-60 (modally 58-59) 
total vertebrae; 105-113 dorsal-fin rays; 91-98 anal- 
fin rays; 120-135 scales in longitudinal series; black 
peritoneum; absence of pupillary operculum; absence 
of fleshy ridge on ocular-side lower jaw; complete row 
of teeth along margins of ocular-side jaws; absence 
of scales on blind sides of dorsal- and anal-fin rays; 
elongate body with relatively uniform and narrow 
depth (165-282 SL, usually 225-240 SL); uniformly 
pigmented ocular surface without caudal blotch; and 
uniformly pigmented dorsal, anal, and caudal fins 
lacking spots or blotches. Symphurus nebulosus is 
distinguished from S. ligulatus by modal differences 
in total vertebral counts, relatively longer head and 
wider lower head lobe, longer postorbital length, 
somewhat deeper body, and ocular-side upper lip 
usually lacking a prominent pigmented band (lightly 
pigmented band occasionally present). 
Description A diminutive species attaining maxi- 
mum sizes of ca. 87 mm SL. ID pattern usually 1-2-2 
