120 
Fishery Bulletin 96( 1 ), 1998 
*^ss,: 
Figure 54 
Symphurus caribbeanus Munroe, Holotype, USNM 313487, 101 mm SL, male, Puerto Rico. 
Symphurus caribbeanus IVIunroe, 1 991 
(Figs. 8H, 54-55; Tables 1-10, 34) 
Symphurus plagusia (not of Schneider, in Bloch and 
Schneider, 1801). Ginsburg, 1951:220 (in part; Fox 
Bay, Panama; specimens in USNM 81654 included 
in account of S. p. plagusia ). Austin and Austin, 
1971:38 (in part; Guayanilla, Puerto Rico; food 
habits; nine specimens from UPRM 2926). 
Symphurus caribbeanus Munroe, 1991:280 (original 
description; Greater Antilles, Central America to 
Colombia; diagnosis; synonymy; counts, measure- 
ments, photograph; in key; bathymetric distribu- 
tion; size and sexual maturity). Munroe, 1992:371, 
382 (ID pattern; geographic, bathymetric distri- 
butions). Cervigon et al., 1993:306 (Venezuela). 
Diagnosis Symphurus caribbeanus is distinguished 
from all congeners by the following combination of 
characters: predominant 1-4-3 ID pattern; 12 cau- 
dal-fin rays; 4 hypurals; 89-96 dorsal-fin rays, usu- 
ally 92-96; 74-80 anal-fin rays; 48-51, usually 49- 
50, total vertebrae; 78-89 scales in longitudinal se- 
ries; unpigmented peritoneum; relatively large eye 
(82-110 HL) without pupillary operculum; absence 
of scales on blind sides of dorsal- and anal-fin rays; 
absence of fleshy ridge on ocular-side lower jaw; ocu- 
lar-side upper and lower jaws usually with small 
patch of teeth along only anterior one-third of jaw 
margins, or lacking teeth; relatively short jaws usu- 
ally extending to vertical through posterior margin 
of pupil of lower eye or occasionally extending to ver- 
tical through posterior margin of lower eye; dorsal- 
fin origin usually reaching, or occasionally slightly 
anterior to, vertical through anterior margin of up- 
per eye; ocular-surface pigmentation dark brown to 
almost yellow, usually with 10-15 narrow, irregularly 
complete, sharply contrasting, dark brown cross- 
bands on head and trunk, but without caudal blotch; 
outer surface of ocular-side opercle without dark 
blotch; inner lining of opercle and isthmus heavily 
pigmented on ocular side, unpigmented on blind side; 
entire dorsal and anal fins with alternating series of 
blotches and unpigmented areas; and caudal fin ei- 
ther uniformly darkly pigmented, or with alternat- 
ing series of pigmented blotches and unpigmented 
areas through its length. 
Description A medium-size species attaining maxi- 
mum lengths of ca. 122 mm SL. ID pattern usually 
1-4-3 (69/84 specimens), less frequently 1-3-3 (8), 
1-3-4 (4), or 1-4-4 (2) (Table 2). Caudal-fin rays usu- 
ally 12 (81/85), less frequently 10, 11, or 13 (Table 3). 
Dorsal-fin rays 89-96, usually 92-96 (Table 4). Anal- 
fin rays 74-80 (Table 5). Total vertebrae 48-51, usu- 
ally 49-50 (76/82) (Table 6). Hypurals 4 (75/75). Lon- 
gitudinal scale rows 78-89 (Table 7). Scale rows on 
head posterior to lower orbit 17-22, usually 19-21 
(Table 8). Transverse scales 36-44 (Table 9). 
Proportions of morphometric features presented in 
Table 34. Body relatively deep, with greatest depth 
in anterior one-third of body; body depth tapering 
relatively rapidly posterior to body midpoint. Prea- 
nal length shorter than body depth. Head wide, nar- 
