PROC. BIOL. SOC. WASH. 103(4), 1990, pp. 931-954 THREE NEW SPECIES OF SYMPHURINE TONGUEFISHES FROM TROPICAL AND WARM TEMPERATE WATERS OF THE EASTERN PACIFIC {SYMPHURUS: CYNOGLOSSIDAE: PLEURONECTIFORMES) Madhu N. Mahadeva and Thomas A. Munroe Abstract.— Three new species of Symphurus are described based on speci-mens collected from the Gulf of California southward along Central America and northern South America to northern Peru. Symphurus oligomerus, n. sp., occurs from the southern Gulf of California to northern Peru and is a relatively deep-water (84-481 m) species characterized by: a 1-3-2 pattern of interdigi-tation of dorsal pterygiophores and neural spines (ID pattern), 85-97 dorsal-fin rays, 71-83 anal-fin rays, 12 caudal-fin rays, 48-52 total vertebrae, 5 hy-purals, black peritoneum, an alternating series of dark rectilinear pigment blotches and unpigmented areas on the posterior portion of the dorsal fin and throughout the anal fin, a dark pigment blotch on the proximal portion of the caudal fin, with distal portions distinctly unpigmented, and the absence of a pupillary operculum. Symphurus chabanaudi, n. sp., occurs from the northern Gulf of California to northern Peru and is among the largest species in the genus, reaching lengths of at least 233 mm SL. This shallow-water species (2-59 m) is characterized by: a 1-5-3 ID pattern, 12 caudal-fin rays, 4 hypurals, small scales on blind-side dorsal-and anal-fin rays, a prominent black spot on the ocular-side opercle, and absence of a pupillary operculum. Symphurus diabolicus, n. sp., known only from a single specimen collected at 501 m off Chatham Island in the Galapagos Archipelago, is readily distinguished by the combination of: a 1-3-2 ID pattern, 12 caudal-fin rays, 5 hypurals, 109 dorsal-fin rays, 94 anal-fin rays, 58 total vertebrae, small scales (ca. 135 in longitudinal series), spotted peritoneum, and large eyes (18.6% of head length). Symphurus is the only genus of tongue-areas off the coasts of Mexico. Central, and fishes (Cynoglossidae) occurring in the New South America have resulted in the capture World, with over 40 nominal species re-of many tonguefishes, including specimens corded from marine waters on both sides of of the new species described herein. This the Americas (Ginsburg 1951, Mahadeva paper provides formal descriptions of three 1956, Menezes & Benvegnii 1976, Munroe of these new species. 1987). In the eastern Pacific, at least 14 spe-Methods.— Spec'xmens examined arc list-cies inhabit coastal and deep-waters (Jordan ed by collection acronym following Leviion &Evermann 1898, Mahadeva 1956, Mun-etal. (1985). Counts and measurements fol-roe& Mahadeva 1989, Munroe & Nizinski low Mahadeva (1956), Munroe & Maha-1 990) from southern Oregon (Eschmeyer et deva ( 1 989), and Munroe ( 1 990a). Standard al. 1983) to northern Peru (Hildebrand 1946, length (SL) is used throughout. Where pos-Mahadeva 1956, Chirichigno 1974). The sible, measurements to 150 mm were taken majority of species occur in tropical waters, to the nearest 0. 1 mm with dial calipers or Recent collecting in inshore and deeper ocular micrometer; measurements larger
Three new species of symphurine tonguefishes from tropical and warm temperate waters of the eastern Pacific (Symphurus: Cynoglossidae: Pleuronectiformes)
BioStor
