Munroe: Systematics of western Atlantic Symphurus 
93 
Table 27 
Morphometries for holotype (USNM 37347) and 40 additional specimens of Symphurus diomedeanus, including holotypes of S. 
sumptuosus (BMNH 1913.7.30:345) and S. pterospilotus (USNM 87770) herein regarded as junior subjective synonyms. (Abbre- 
viations defined in methods section; SL is expressed in mm; measurements 2 to 14 are thousandths of SL; 15 to 21 are thou- 
sandths of HL; n = no. of specimens measured). 
Character 
diomedeanus 
holotype 
sumptuosus 
holotype 
pterospilotus 
holotype 
n 
Range 
Mean 
SD 
1. SL 
137.9 
111.5 
115.2 
41 
88.8-175.0 
131.8 
22.91 
2. BD 
302 
310 
299 
41 
268-324 
297.4 
11.86 
3. PDL 
47 
39 
45 
41 
33-55 
42.5 
4.17 
4. PAL 
206 
197 
201 
41 
179-238 
208.5 
12.63 
5. DBL 
954 
961 
955 
41 
945-967 
957.5 
4.18 
6. ABL 
787 
781 
796 
41 
751-823 
783.2 
18.14 
7. PL 
60 
60 
64 
41 
46-64 
54.4 
5.20 
8. PA 
55 
66 
61 
40 
28-82 
50.3 
11.46 
9. CFL 
104 
104 
107 
40 
96-120 
107.9 
6.20 
10. HL 
174 
187 
162 
41 
162-204 
181.9 
11.04 
11. HW 
218 
263 
222 
41 
199-263 
223.9 
15.30 
12. POL 
116 
128 
104 
41 
81-143 
119.9 
10.47 
13. UHL 
138 
153 
149 
41 
122-170 
148.5 
10.43 
14. LHL 
91 
110 
90 
41 
78-117 
94.8 
8.24 
15. POL 
667 
688 
642 
41 
483-721 
658.5 
35.47 
16. SNL 
175 
173 
187 
41 
130-209 
172.5 
17.31 
17. UJL 
208 
173 
176 
41 
165-223 
191.2 
15.78 
18. ED 
138 
82 
150 
41 
82-156 
130.5 
15.71 
19. CD 
192 
216 
262 
40 
152-294 
210.5 
29.52 
20. OPLL 
321 
375 
364 
41 
240-375 
304.3 
32.00 
21. OPUL 
229 
226 
214 
41 
183-284 
225.8 
21.35 
blind-side jaws. Margin of ocular-side lower jaw usu- 
ally with single, mostly incomplete, row of slender 
teeth extending to middle of jaw; ocular-side upper 
jaw usually without teeth, occasionally with few teeth 
at margin of premaxillary symphysis. Chin depth 
somewhat larger than snout length. Lower eye rela- 
tively large; eyes usually equal in position, although 
occasionally upper slightly in advance of lower eye. 
Anterior and medial surfaces of eyes not covered with 
scales; usually 1-3 small ctenoid scales in narrow 
interorbital region. Pupillary operculum well devel- 
oped. Dorsal-fin origin usually equal with vertical 
line through anterior margin of upper eye; occasion- 
ally either slightly anterior to vertical through ante- 
rior margin of upper eye, or reaching vertical through 
midpoint of upper eye; predorsal length long. Scales 
usually absent on blind sides of dorsal- and anal-fin 
rays; occasionally 1-2 scales at base of fin rays, es- 
pecially in larger specimens. Pelvic fin short; 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 anus, or occasion- 
ally extending posteriorly almost to anal-fin origin 
(membrane tom in most specimens). Caudal fin short. 
Scales large, strongly ctenoid on both sides of body. 
Pigmentation f Fig. 46, A and BJ Body coloration 
similar for both sexes. Ocular surface usually uni- 
formly dark brown; occasionally with faint traces of 
variable number of wide, diffuse, poorly defined 
crossbands. Crossbands, when present, usually in- 
complete across body and not continued onto dorsal 
and anal fins; crossbands usually only slightly darker 
than background coloration. Specimens without 
crossbands usually with irregular dark mottling or 
dark blotches over entire ocular surface. Pupillary 
operculum usually dark brown or black. Specimens 
collected from light-colored substrates usually with 
uniform light brown or yellowish coloration on ocu- 
lar surface, and with silvery pupillary operculum. 
Outer surface pigmentation of ocular-side opercle 
usually same as on body. Inner linings of opercles 
and isthmus on both sides of body unpigmented. 
Ocular-side upper lip usually with faint, but continu- 
ous, pigment band; ocular-side lower lip frequently 
spotted, but without definite band of pigment. Blind 
side uniformly creamy white to yellowish. Perito- 
neum unpigmented. 
Fin rays and membranes of dorsal and anal fins 
on anterior two-thirds of body lightly pigmented with 
diffuse scattering of melanophores, but without spots 
or blotches. Dorsal- and anal-fin rays on posterior 
