Symphurus marginatus

Body relatively elongate; of nearly uni form width along anterior 2/3, with grad- ual taper posteriorly. Head moderately long and relatively narrow; head length usu ally just slightly wider than long. Lower eye large; eyes usu ally equal in position, with large and obvious lens. Anterior and medial surfaces of eyes parti ally c overed with 4 to 6 sm all ctenoid scales. Pupillary operculum absent. Snout short, some- what pointed. Maxilla extending posteriorly to vertical through anterior margin of lower eye. Ocular-side lower jaw without fleshy ridge. Ocular-side dentary with row of teeth along complete margin of jaw; ocular-side premaxilla usu ally with single row of teeth along anterior 4/5 of margin of jaw, occasion ally with com- plete tooth row. Dorsal-fin rays 93 to 104. Dorsal-fin origin usu ally at point between verticals through midpoint and posterior margin of upper eye. Anal-fin rays 80 to 89. Scales absent on blind sides of dorsal- and anal-fin rays. Caudal-fin rays 12. Longitudinal scale rows 86 to 99. ID pattern usu ally 1-3-2. Total verte- brae 51 to 56, usu ally 52 to 54. Hypurals 4, less frequently 5. Colour: ocular surface usu ally uni formly dark brown, sometimes with yellowish tint, without crossb ands; and with dark brown blotch, roughly circular in outline, usu ally c overing entire caudal region and occasion ally extending onto caudal-fin base. Blind side off-white, or yellowish; without pepper-dots. Peritoneum black. Dorsal and anal fins in anterior 2/3 of body with dark brown or black longitudinal stripe along fin-ray bases; distal half of those fin rays unpigmented or only lightly pigmented. Dorsal and anal fins heavily pigmented in caudal region of body, especi ally proximate to caudal blotch. Caudal fin usu ally heavily pigmented on proximal half; distal half lightly pigmented.

Body shape: fusiform / normal.

Outer continental shelf and upper slope off New Jersey southward along eastern USA, in eastern and central regions of the Gulf of Mexico (to Louisiana, 91(cid:1)18’W), in Stra its of Florida off the Bahamas and north of Puerto Rico, off nor thern Cuba, widespread throughout the sou thern Caribbean Sea from Honduras to Venezuela, and from Trinidad and Tobago to sou theastern Brazil (21(cid:1)34’S). Majority of speci- mens taken off sou thern Florida, eastern and central regions of the Gulf of Mexico, and throughout the sou thern Caribbean Sea. Of no interest to commercial fisheries. Symphurus minor Ginsburg, 1951 Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / Symphurus parvus Ginsburg, 1951. FAO names: En - Largescale tonguefish. Diagnostic characters: Body moderately deep; maximum depth in anterior 1/3 of body; tapering rapidly in posterior 2/3 of body. Head length usu ally shorter than head width. Snout short and pointed. Lower eye rela- tively large; eyes usu ally equal in position. Anterior and medial surfaces of eyes usu ally not c overed with scales. Pupillary operculum well developed. Maxilla usu ally extending posteriorly to point between verticals through anterior margin of pupil and middle of lower eye. Ocular-side lower jaw without fleshy ridge. Teeth usu ally c overing entire margin of ocular-side dentary. Single row of slender teeth on ante- rior 1/2 to three-fourths of margin of ocular-side premaxilla (usu ally extending posteriorly to vertical through anterior base of anterior nostril). Dorsal-fin rays 69 to 81. Anal-fin rays 55 to 64. Basal region of dorsal-fin membrane from about seventh dorsal-fin ray and backwards, and anal-fin membrane throughout entire length of fin, with series of openings (membrane ostia) between fin rays. Scales ab- sent on blind sides of dorsal- and anal-fin rays. Caudal-fin rays usu ally 10. Longitudinal scale rows 55 to 67. ID pattern usu ally 1-4-2. Total vertebrae 41 to 44, usu ally 41 to 43. Colour: ocular surface usu ally light brown or straw-coloured with variable number and arrangement of irregular dusky markings and well-developed dark brown blotch slightly anterior to caudal-fin base; occasional specimens with ra ther faint, dark brown crossb ands. Blind side uni formly white or yellowish, without pepper-dots. Peritoneum unpigmented. Dorsal and anal fins lightly pigmented anteriorly, becoming darker posteriorly, but with- out distinct spots or blotches. Scaly base of caudal fin with sm all, darkly pigmented area. Size: Maximum about 78 mm st andard length, commonly 40 to 60 mm st andard length. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Collected primarily on live-bottom areas on the inner continental shelf at 18 to 170 m, with a centre of abundance between 20 and 60 m. Common along the continental shelf of the south- eastern USA. Collected in water temperatures of 18.5 to 23.3(cid:1)C and salinities of 35 to 36.5‰. Males and fe- males attain similar sizes. Females mature at 29 to 40 mm st andard length. Spawning takes place during summertime. Gravid females collected primarily June through September. Although collected frequently, this species has not been taken in any abundance. Of no commercial importance. Distri bution: Western North Atlantic primarily from North Carolina southward to Florida, in the eastern Gulf of Mexico including west coast of Florida, west to region of De Soto Canyon. Major- ity of specimens collected off sou theastern Florida and the inner continental shelf off west Florida. Not reported from central and western regions of the Gulf of Mexico, and is thus far un- known from live-bottom substrates off the Yucatán Peninsula. Along Atlantic coast, occurs commonly to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and r arely off the Nova Scotian shelf as expatriated individuals transported northward by the Gulf Stream.

Inhabiting soft mud sediments on the outer continental shelf and upper conti- nental slope at depths of 37 to 832 m, with a centre of abundance between 320 and 550 m. Rarely collected sh allower than 300 m. Females attain somewhat larger sizes than males. Specimens less than 80 mm stan- dard length are r arely collected. Females mature at ca. 79 to 90 mm st andard length. Little else is known con- cerning life history of this species.

Maximum about 146 mm st andard length; commonly 80 to 120 mm st andard length.

Often found in deepwater soft mud substrates on outer continental shelf and upper continental slope (Ref. 26268).

Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.

IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2018-10-12. Resilience: Medium (Assuming tmax>3).