Frable et at: Description of a new species of Synodus in the western Atlantic Ocean 
131 
Table 3 
Frequency distributions of counts of pored 
species (w=51), and S. intermedius (n= 52). 
lateral-line scales in Synodus macrostigmus. 
new 
Pored lateral-line scales 
45 46 
47 48 49 50 
51 
52 
Synodus macrostigmus 4 12 
Synodus intermedius 
27 8 
7 16 
23 
6 
14.2-19.0% HL (16.4%); dorsal fin not erect in avail- 
able photographs (Fig. 3A), but depressed fin pale yel- 
low with oblique rows of dark pigment; adipose fin pale 
with at least one dark marking dorsally; pectoral fin 
pale with approximately 6 wavy, irregular bars of dark 
brown pigment; pelvic fins bright yellow; anal fin yel- 
low; center of caudal fin (at anterior end of fork) and 
posterior portion of ventral caudal lobe dark gray to 
brown; dorsal caudal lobe pale with light, dusky pig- 
ment on posterior margin; dorsal caudal lobe with 2-3 
small brown bars on procurrent rays. 
In preservative (Fig. 3B) Trunk tan to light brown dor- 
sally, pale ventrally; dark markings along trunk pres- 
ent but faded in some specimens; black pigmentation 
on scapular region, head, and caudal fin (described in 
the previous paragraph) easily visible; barring on pec- 
toral fin indistinct. 
Etymology 
Synodus macrostigmus is named for its large, black 
scapular blotch. The species name is a Latinized con- 
junction of the Greek macros, meaning large or long, 
and stigma, meaning brand or mark. 
Distribution 
The holotype and paratypes are from the northeastern 
Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida from depths of 
71-75 m. Additional specimens of this species, previ- 
ously identified as S. intermedius in museum collec- 
tions, are from the northern Gulf of Mexico off Ala- 
bama and Florida, Yucatan Mexico, and Atlantic coast 
off Georgia and South Carolina. All specimens were 
collected at depths below 28 m. The specimens from 
the deepest known collection, UF46974, are from the 
Gulf Coast of Florida at 194 m. 
Synodus intermedius (Agassiz, 1829) 
English common name: Sand Diver 
Figures 1, 2B, 3 (C and D), and 4, Tables 1-3 
Saurus intermedius Agassiz in Spix and Agassiz, 
1829:81, pi. 44. Type locality: “Brazil;” described 
from specimen, 216 mm in total length in the Museo 
Monacensi, current whereabouts unknown; neotype 
herein designated, USNM 398292. 
Saurus anolis Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenci- 
ennes, 1850:483. Type localities: Martinique, Guade- 
loupe, and Bahia, Brazil; 2 types — MNHN A. 8611, 
390 mm, and MNHN B.1022, 400 mm. 
Synodus cubanus Poey, 1876:143. Type locality: Cuba; 
one type — 375 mm, current whereabouts unknown. 
Holotype 
No types known. 
Designation of neotype 
Agassiz (in Spix and Agassiz, 1829) described Saurus 
intermedius from a single specimen collected off Brazil 
(Kottelat, 1988). The original description is brief and 
provides little information to separate this species from 
a general Synodus body plan with the exception of the 
mention of transverse barring on the trunk, 55 mucous 
canal scales in the lateral line, a projected snout, and 
12 pectoral- and anal-fin rays. The number of pored lat- 
eral-line scales is higher than the numbers observed in 
our study (49-52 scales); however, specimens of S. inter- 
medius are known to have up to 55 lateral-line scales 
(Anderson et al., 1966; Anderson and Gehringer, 1975). 
The number of anal-fin rays (12) is also greater than 
the number we observed (11). This difference might be 
explained by a deep bifurcation in the last anal-fin ray 
that makes it appear to be 2 separate rays. The deep 
split is noted to result in miscounting (Anderson et al., 
1966). There is no mention of caudal pigmentation or 
a scapular blotch. 
Subsequent descriptions of S. intermedius by Gun- 
ther (1864), Poey (1868), and Meek (1884) all includ- 
ed diagnostic features, such as a scapular blotch and 
caudal barring. Gunther (1864) expressed frustration 
over the lack of diagnostic information in the original 
description. Kottelat (1988) was unable to locate the 
original type of Saurus intermedius. It may have been 
stored at the Zoologische Staatssammlung Munchen 
(ZSM), but the entire Spix and Agassiz collection 
housed there was destroyed in World War II (Kottelat, 
