Munroe: Systematics of western Atlantic Symphurus 
121 
TabSe 34 
Morphometries for holotype (USNM 313487) and 20 
paratypes of Symphurus caribbeanus. (Abbreviations de- 
fined in methods section; SL is expressed in mm; charac- 
ters 2 to 14 are expressed in thousandths of SL; 15 to 21 in 
thousandths of HL; n = no. of specimens measured.) 
Character 
Holotype 
n 
Range 
Mean 
SD 
1. SL 
100.5 
21 
40.1-121.9 
84.5 
22.40 
2. BD 
317 
21 
277-320 
300.6 
12.14 
3. PDL 
34 
21 
29-48 
36.2 
5.45 
4. PAL 
219 
21 
191-261 
223.0 
15.89 
5. DBL 
966 
21 
952-972 
964.3 
5.70 
6. ABL 
792 
21 
751-820 
781.0 
18.89 
7. PL 
62 
21 
51-75 
63.2 
6.56 
8. PA 
45 
21 
35-63 
47.6 
6.62 
9. CFL 
106 
21 
87-116 
102.4 
7.56 
10. HL 
194 
21 
185-224 
199.2 
10.94 
11. HW 
239 
21 
220-268 
240.0 
11.03 
12. POL 
123 
21 
119-143 
133.6 
6.72 
13. UHL 
141 
21 
141-184 
164.6 
32.23 
14. LHL 
112 
21 
84-112 
98.6 
26.51 
15. POL 
636 
21 
632-744 
671.6 
28.72 
16. SNL 
231 
21 
193-255 
218.4 
18.47 
17. UJL 
251 
21 
195-253 
231.3 
15.96 
18. ED 
103 
21 
82-110 
97.4 
7.18 
19. CD 
267 
21 
227-305 
259.8 
19.74 
20. OPLL 
359 
21 
241-359 
291.8 
32.23 
21. OPUL 
236 
21 
162-274 
199.4 
27.34 
rower than body depth. Head short; considerably 
shorter than head width (HW:HL= 1. 1-1.3, x=1.2). 
Lower head lobe width less than postorbital length; 
considerably narrower than upper head lobe. Lower 
opercular lobe of ocular side considerably wider than 
upper opercular lobe. Snout moderately long and 
pointed (Fig. 54), covered with small ctenoid scales. 
Anterior nostril usually not reaching anterior mar- 
gin of lower eye when depressed posteriorly. Dermal 
papillae well developed, but not particularly dense, 
on snout and chin regions on blind side of head. Jaws 
long; maxilla usually reaching posteriorly to verti- 
cal through posterior margin of pupil, or occasion- 
ally posterior margin, of lower eye. Ocular-side lower 
jaw without distinct, fleshy ridge (Fig. 3E). Teeth well 
developed on blind-side jaws. Upper and lower jaws 
on ocular side usually with small patch of teeth only 
on anterior one-third of jaw margins, or lacking teeth. 
Chin depth larger than snout length. Lower eye rela- 
tively small; eyes usually slightly subequal in posi- 
tion with upper usually slightly in advance of lower 
eye. Anterior and medial surfaces of eyes not cov- 
ered with scales; usually 1-3 small ctenoid scales in 
narrow interorbital region. Pupillary operculum ab- 
sent. Dorsal-fin origin usually reaching, or occasion- 
ally slightly anterior to, vertical through anterior 
margin of upper eye. Blind sides of dorsal- and anal- 
fin rays without scales. Pelvic fin short; longest pel- 
vic-fin ray, when extended posteriorly, usually reach- 
ing base of first, or occasionally second, anal-fin ray. 
Posteriormost pelvic-fin ray connected to body by 
delicate membrane terminating immediately ante- 
rior to anus, or occasionally extending posteriorly 
almost to anal-fin origin (membrane torn in most 
specimens). Caudal fin short. Scales moderate in size, 
strongly ctenoid on both sides of body. 
Pigmentation (Fig. 54) Pattern of body pigmenta- 
tion generally similar for both sexes at all sizes, but 
mature males with more intense pigmentation on 
body and posterior portions of dorsal and anal fins. 
Ocular surface dark brown to almost yellow; usually 
with 10 to 15 narrow, irregularly complete, sharply 
contrasting, darker brown crossbands on head and 
trunk. Crossbands not continued onto dorsal and anal 
fins. Anteriormost band on head immediately poste- 
rior to eyes. Second band crossing head just anterior 
to opercular opening. Crossbands on trunk variable 
in number, usually 3-6 scale rows wide. First band 
crossing body immediately posterior to opercular 
opening. Posteriormost band slightly anterior to cau- 
dal-fin base, irregularly complete. Blind side 
off-white. Peritoneum unpigmented. Outer surface 
of ocular-side opercle with general background pig- 
mentation as body. Dorsal margin of ocular-side 
opercle sometimes with dusky blotch due to dark pig- 
mentation of inner lining of opercle showing through 
to outer surface. Inner lining of opercle and isthmus 
heavily pigmented on ocular side; unpigmented on 
blind side. Slight band of pigment on ocular-side 
upper lip; ocular-side lower lip frequently spotted, 
but without definite band of pigment. 
Pigmentation of dorsal and anal fins generally 
similar in both sexes, but usually more intense in 
males. Except for anteriormost portion of dorsal fin, 
entire dorsal and anal fin with alternating series of 
dark blotches and unpigmented areas. Blotches vari- 
able in shape, most frequently nearly rectangular; 
extending from base almost to distal tip of fin rays; 
blotches usually covering 2 to 5 fin rays alternating 
with 2 to 4 lightly pigmented fin rays. Caudal fin 
either uniformly darkly pigmented, or with alternat- 
ing series of pigmented blotches and unpigmented 
areas throughout length of fin. 
Size and sexual maturity (Fig. 8H) Adult S. 
caribbeanus range in size from ca. 71 to 130 mm and 
this species is one of the smallest members of the S. 
plagusia complex. Size-related life history informa- 
tion is derived from data taken from 89 specimens. 
Males and females attain similar sizes. The largest 
female fish measured is gravid (122 mm); the larg- 
