332 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Genus 160. SYMPHURUS Rafinesque. Tongue-fishes. 
Body elongate, more or less lanceolate in outline, with eyes and color on left side; eyes small, 
very close together, with no distinct interorbital ridge between them; mouth small, twisted toward 
blind side; teeth little developed, in villiform bands; edge of preopercle covered by scales; gill-openings 
narrow, gill-membranes adnate to shoulder-girdle above, joined together and free from isthmus below; 
pectoral tins wanting (in adult); vertical fins more or less confluent; scales ctenoid ; lateral line wanting. 
Ventral fin of eyed side only present, free from anal; head without fringes. 
Symphurus: 
а. Scales not minute, ctenoid, 65 to 105 in number; dorsal rays 86 to 100; anal rays 70 to 87. 
б. Scales rather large, about 65; head 4.33; depth 4.33; color, clouded-brown piger 
bb. Scales small, moderately ctenoid, 75 to 105 in a longitudinal series. 
c. Dorsal and anal pale anteriorly, becoming more or less abruptly black posteriorly. 
d. Caudal fin abruptly pale, at least at tip. 
e. Body elongate, depth 4.5 in length; head 5.5. D. 96 to 100; A. 86 or 87; scales 88 to 90. Color, grayish, speckled with 
brown; dorsal and anal fins black on last tenth; caudal abruptly pale; tips of fin rays vermilion .. . mafginatus 
dd. Caudal fin black, as is a large part of dorsal and anal, black either continuous or in form of large spots. Color, 
brownish, often mottled, usually with more or less distinct darker crossbands and with longitudinal streaks 
along rows of scales, sometimes nearly plain brown. 
/. Scales rather larger, 75 to 90. Body less elongate, depth 3.1 to 3.66 in length; head 5.25 to 5.75. Dorsal 88 to 95; 
anal 75 to 80 plagusia, 283 
cc. Dorsal and anal pale throughout, or more or less mottled or spotted with darker, caudal similarly colored, not 
distinctly black. Body not very elongate, depth 3 to 3.33 in length. (Probably all varieties of S. plagiusa.) 
g. Body with dark crossbands more or less distinct; fins mottled or speckled; upper eye slightly in advance of lower. 
h. Dorsal rays 86 to 95; anal rays 75 to 80; head 5 in length ; depth 3.25; scales 85 to 93; crossbands more distinct than 
in related species plagiusa 
hh. Dorsal rays 78 to 85; anal rays 70 to 72; head 5 in length; depth 3.5; scales 80 to 90. Color, light-brown, with darker 
crossbars, which become obsolete with age pusillus 
gg. Body uniform grayish, without crossbands; last part of dorsal and anal with 3 or 4 oblong black blotches; each some- 
what larger than eye; upper eye directly above lower; head 5.66 in length. Scales 85; D. 92; A. 75. . diumedeanus 
Acedia: 
an. Scales very small, ctenoid, each with a medium dark streak, which simulates a keel, but is not a ridge; snout and 
jaws naked; fin rays in increased number. 
i. Head 5.66; depth 4.66; D. 119; A. 107; scales 120. Grayish, everywhere mottled with brown nebulosus 
283. Symphurus plagusia Bloch & Schneider. Tongue-fish ,. 
Head 5.25; depth about 3.5; T). 88; A. 76; scales 90. Body rather elongate. Color, brown, 
somewhat clouded; narrow longitudinal lines along rows of scales, posterior part of dorsal and anal and 
caudal black; dark bars on dorsal and anal in direction of rays. The black caudal has been considered 
the mark distinguishing this species from the closely-related form >$'. plagiusa, from which otherwise, 
according to descriptions, it differs but little. 
Specimens at hand from Porto Rico show nearly all grades of coloration of the two forms which 
with measurements cover pretty well the two species. But all of the Porto Rican specimens are 
undoubtedly of the same species. They have been compared with specimens of S. plagiusa. The few 
specimens of the latter examined revealed none with black caudal, but they differed in no other 
respect, unless possibly in the slightly larger head and eyes. There can be little doubt but t hat the two 
forms are as nearly identical as are the two names. 
Some individuals are plain brown, with longitudinal streaks of darker along rows of scales, or 
with distinct broad crossbars; or with irregular cross-mottling not arranged in definite bands. All of 
these colors may vary from faint and light to very dark and distinct. The fins are sometimes nearly 
plain, but usually with more or less numerous narrow dark bars running in direction of fin rays. Color 
of caudal rays ranging from pale, through longitudinally barred and dusky to very black. 
West Indies to Brazil; common. Specimens have been taken at Havana and in Jamaica; in 
Porto Rico it is known from Palo Seco, Ponce, Mayaguez, Boqueron, and Hucares. The only record 
from Florida is “ Off Key West, in about 20 fathoms” (Carman). 
