Munroe: Systematics of western Atlantic Symphurus 
131 
Symphurus oculellus Munroe, 1991 
(Figs. 9E, 58-59; Tables 1-10, 37 J 
Symphurus atricaudus (not of Jordan and Gilbert, 
1880). Puyo, 1949:179 (French Guyana; counts, 
color description, poor figure; distinguished from 
S. plagusia). 
Symphurus oculellus Munroe, 1991:276 (original 
description; Guyana to northeast Brazil; diagno- 
sis; synonymy; counts, measurements, photograph; 
in key; bathymetric distribution; size and sexual 
maturity). Munroe, 1992:371, 382 (ID pattern; geo- 
graphic, bathymetric distributions). Cervigon et al., 
1993:306 (Venezuela). 
Diagnosis Symphurus oculellus is distinguished 
from all congeners by the following combination of 
characters: predominant 1-4-3 ID pattern; 12 cau- 
dal-fin rays; 4 hypurals; 97-106 dorsal-fin rays; 81- 
89, usually 83-88, anal-fin rays; 52-55, usually 53- 
54, total vertebrae; 84-97, usually 86-93, scales in 
longitudinal series; unpigmented peritoneum; ab- 
sence of pupillary operculum; lacking small scales 
on blind sides of dorsal- and anal-fin rays; promi- 
nent fleshy ridge on ocular-side lower jaw; relatively 
long jaws with maxilla usually extending posteriorly 
to vertical through posterior margin of pupil of lower 
eye, occasionally extending to or slightly beyond ver- 
tical through posterior margin of lower eye; margin 
of ocular-side dentary usually with mostly incomplete 
row of teeth; premaxillary margin on ocular side ei- 
ther lacking teeth, or with very short row of teeth on 
anterior one-third; relatively small eye (68-104 HL, 
x=84); dorsal-fin origin usually at or occasionally 
slightly anterior to vertical through anterior margin 
of upper eye; ocular surface pigmentation dark to 
light brown with 10-14 well-developed, sharply con- 
trasting, somewhat narrow, dark brown crossbands 
on head and trunk, but without pigmented blotch on 
caudal region of body; outer surface of ocular-side 
opercle with dark melanophores in diffuse circular 
pattern or with melanophores coalesced into some- 
