Symphurus plagiusa
Blackcheek Tonguefish
NS
G5
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Pleuronectfiormes (Flatfishes)
Cynoglossidae (Tonguefishes)
Symphurus
Symphurus plagiusa (Blackcheek Tonguefish)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
10 caudal fin rays; conspicuous black spot on ocular-side operculum; lacks pupillary operculum; anterior naris on ocular side terminates as short tube not reaching lower eye margin; posterior margin of maxilla extends to midpoint of lower eye; lower jaw on ocular side has fleshy ridge near posterior margin; jaw teeth on blind side well developed, limited to single row on ocular side lower jaw; head length 14.5%–21% SL, head width 21.2%–26.5% SL, body depth 28.3%–32.6% SL; snout length 19.4%–24.7% HL, upper jaw length 18%–24.2% HL, eye diameter 8.3%–12.6% HL; dorsal fin originates above anterior margin of pupil of upper eye, 81-91 rays; pelvic fin moderately long, posteriormost ray connected to body or anal fin by membrane; anal fin 66-75 rays; body and head covered with large ctenoid scales; scales on both sides of posterior dorsal and anal fin rays; 76-86 scales in longitudinal series; small scales on snout and interorbital region; dermal papillae well developed on blind side of snout, chin, and dorsal head; 44-49 vertebrae
Ocular side dull tan to dark brown with variably developed dark bands on head and body; dorsal and anal fins moderately dusky but lack spots and blotches; opercular cavity and isthmus heavily pigmented; black spot on outer surface of upper angle of operculum most evident in large specimens; blind side uniformly white in adults; peritoneum unpigmented
Distribution
Western Atlantic from New York Bight to southern Gulf of Mexico, including Florida Keys, Bahamas, and Cuba
Widely distributed in the Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
Between shoreline and 183 m depth; estuaries
Small specimens generally found in shallowest waters
Biology
Maximum known size 172 mm SL
Very abundant in shallow coastal waters and estuaries. Found on soft muddy bottoms. Feeds mainly on small benthic invertebrates, principally small crabs, polychaetes, copepods, amphipods and ostracods.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2012-08-20. Resilience: Medium (tmax=5; K=0.6;).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial.
References
Gunter 1945
Ginsburg 1951
Reid 1954
Hildebrand 1954
Hildebrand 1955
Böhlke and Chaplin 1968
Springer and Woodburn 1960
Chittenden and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Munroe 1992
Munroe 1998
Munroe 2002f
Schaldach et al. 1997
Smith 1997
Castro-Aguirre et al. 1999
Munroe et al. 2001
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
Munroe, T.A. (1998) Systematics and ecology of tonguefishes of the genus Symphurus (Cynoglossidae: Pleuronectiformes) from the western Atlantic Ocean. Fish. Bull. 96(1):1-182.
Smith, C.L. (1997) National Audubon Society field guide to tropical marine fishes of the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York. 720 p.
Austin, H. and S. Austin (1971) The feeding habits of some juvenile marine fishes from the mangroves in western Puerto Rico. Caribb. J. Sci. 11(3-4):171-178.
Wenner, C.A. and G.R. Sedberry (1989) Species composition, distribution, and relative abundance of fishes in the coastal habitat off the southeastern United States. NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS-SSRF 79. 49 p.
Patzner, R.A. (2008) Reproductive strategies of fish. pp. 311-350. In Rocha, M.J., A. Arukwe and B.G. Kapoor (eds). Fish reproduction: cytology, biology and ecology. Science Publisher, Inc. Oxford. 631 p.
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