Symphurus is a genus of fish in the family Cynoglossidae found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean. Most species mainly occur in relatively shallow water, including estuaries. Some species are also found in deeper water, including S. thermophilus that lives at hydrothermal vents (the only flatfish known from this habitat). These species are distinguished by merged dorsal, caudal and anal fins, the absence of a lateral line and pectoral fins, and the presence of only one pelvic fin. They are sinistral flatfishes, meaning that as adults, their crania are asymmetrical, with both eyes on the left side. The largest species grows to about long.
Species
There are currently 78 recognized species in this genus:
- Symphurus arawak <small>C. R. Robins & J. E. Randall, 1965</small> (Caribbean tonguefish)
- Symphurus atramentatus <small>D. S. Jordan & Bollman, 1890</small> (Ink-spot tonguefish)
- Symphurus atricauda <small>(D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1880)</small> (California tonguefish)
- Symphurus australis <small>McCulloch, 1907</small>
- Symphurus bathyspilus <small>Krabbenhoft & Munroe, 2003</small>
- Symphurus billykrietei <small>Munroe, 1998</small> (Kriete's tonguefish)
- Symphurus callopterus <small>Munroe & Mahadeva, 1989</small> (Chocolate tonguefish)
- Symphurus caribbeanus <small>Munroe, 1991</small>
- Symphurus chabanaudi <small>Mahadeva & Munroe, 1990</small> (Chabanaud's tonguefish)
- Symphurus civitatium <small>Ginsburg, 1951</small> (Offshore tonguefish)
- Symphurus diabolicus <small>Mahadeva & Munroe, 1990</small> (Devil's tonguefish)
- Symphurus diomedeanus <small>(Goode & T. H. Bean, 1885)</small> (Spotted-fin tonguefish)
- Symphurus elongatus <small>(Günther, 1868)</small> (Elongated tonguefish)
- Symphurus fasciolaris <small>C. H. Gilbert, 1892</small> (Banded tonguefish)
- Symphurus fuscus <small>A. B. Brauer, 1906</small>
- Symphurus gilesii <small>(Alcock, 1889)</small>
- Symphurus ginsburgi <small>Menezes & Benvegnú, 1976</small> (Ginsburg's tonguefish)
- Symphurus gorgonae <small>Chabanaud, 1948</small> (Gorgonian tonguefish)
- Symphurus holothuriae <small>Chabanaud, 1948</small>
- Symphurus hondoensis <small>C. L. Hubbs, 1915</small>
- Symphurus insularis <small>Munroe, Brito & C. Hernández, 2000</small>
- Symphurus jenynsi <small>Evermann & Kendall, 1906</small> (Jenyn's tonguefish)
- Symphurus kyaropterygium <small>Menezes & Benvegnú, 1976</small>
- Symphurus leei <small>D. S. Jordan & Bollman, 1890</small> (Lee's tonguefish)
- Symphurus leucochilus <small>M. Y. Lee, Munroe & K. T. Shao, 2014</small>
- Symphurus ligulatus <small>(Cocco, 1844)</small>
- Symphurus longirostris <small>M. Y. Lee, Munroe & Y. Kai, 2016</small> (Long-snout tonguefish)
- Symphurus lubbocki <small>Munroe, 1990</small>
- Symphurus luzonensis <small>Chabanaud, 1955</small>
- Symphurus macrophthalmus <small>Norman, 1939</small>
- Symphurus maculopinnis <small>Munroe, J. Tyler & Tunnicliffe, 2011</small>
- Symphurus maldivensis <small>Chabanaud, 1955</small>
- Symphurus marginatus <small>(Goode & T. H. Bean, 1886)</small> (Margined tonguefish)
- Symphurus marmoratus <small>Fowler, 1934</small>
- Symphurus megasomus <small>M. Y. Lee, H. M. Chen & K. T. Shao, 2009</small> (Giant tonguefish)
- Symphurus melanurus <small>H. W. Clark, 1936</small> (Drab tonguefish)
- Symphurus melasmatotheca <small>Munroe & Nizinski, 1990</small> (Black-stripe tonguefish)
- Symphurus microlepis <small>Garman, 1899</small> (Small-fin tonguefish)
- Symphurus microrhynchus <small>(M. C. W. Weber, 1913)</small>
- Symphurus minor <small>Ginsburg, 1951</small> (Large-scale tonguefish)
- Symphurus monostigmus <small>Munroe, 2006</small>
- Symphurus multimaculatus <small>M. Y. Lee, Munroe & H. M. Chen, 2009</small> (Pepper-dot tonguefish)
- Symphurus nebulosus <small>(Goode & T. H. Bean, 1883)</small> (Freckled tonguefish)
- Symphurus nigrescens <small>Rafinesque, 1810</small> (Tonguefish)
- Symphurus normani <small>Chabanaud, 1950</small> (Norman's tonguefish)
- Symphurus novemfasciatus <small>S. C. Shen & W. W. Lin, 1984</small>
- Symphurus ocellaris <small>Munroe & D. R. Robertson, 2005</small> (Ring-tail tonguefish)
- Symphurus ocellatus <small>von Bonde, 1922</small> (Double-spot tonguefish)
- Symphurus oculellus <small>Munroe, 1991</small>
- Symphurus oligomerus <small>Mahadeva & Munroe, 1990</small> (Spot-fin tonguefish)
- Symphurus ommaspilus <small>J. E. Böhlke, 1961</small> (Ocellated tonguefish)
- Symphurus orientalis <small>(Bleeker, 1879)</small>
- Symphurus parvus <small>Ginsburg, 1951</small> (Pygmy tonguefish)
- Symphurus pelicanus <small>Ginsburg, 1951</small> (Long-tail tonguefish)
- Symphurus piger <small>(Goode & T. H. Bean, 1886)</small> (Deep-water tonguefish)
- Symphurus plagiusa <small>(Linnaeus, 1766)</small> (Black-cheek tonguefish)
- Symphurus plagusia <small>(Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801)</small> (Dusky-cheek tonguefish)
- Symphurus prolatinaris <small>Munroe, Nizinski & Mahadeva, 1991</small> (Half-striped tonguefish)
- Symphurus pusillus <small>(Goode & T. H. Bean, 1885)</small> (Northern tonguefish)
- Symphurus regani <small>M. C. W. Weber & de Beaufort, 1929</small>
- Symphurus reticulatus <small>Munroe, 1990</small>
- Symphurus rhytisma <small>J. E. Böhlke, 1961</small> (Patch-tail tonguefish)
- Symphurus schultzi <small>Chabanaud, 1955</small>
- Symphurus septemstriatus <small>(Alcock, 1891)</small> (Seven-band tonguefish)
- Symphurus stigmosus <small>Munroe, 1998</small> (Blotch-fin tonguefish)
- Symphurus strictus <small>C. H. Gilbert, 1905</small> (Black-belly tonguefish)
- Symphurus tessellatus <small>(Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)</small>
- Symphurus thermophilus <small>Munroe & Hashimoto, 2008</small> (Western Pacific tonguefish)
- Symphurus trewavasae <small>Chabanaud, 1948</small> (Trewavas' tonguefish)
- Symphurus trifasciatus <small>(Alcock, 1894)</small> (Three-band tonguefish)
- Symphurus undatus <small>C. H. Gilbert, 1905</small>
- Symphurus undecimplerus <small>Munroe & Nizinski, 1990</small> (Dark-cheek tonguefish)
- Symphurus urospilus <small>Ginsburg, 1951</small> (Spot-tail tonguefish)
- Symphurus vanmelleae <small>Chabanaud, 1952</small> (Vanmelle's tonguefish)
- Symphurus variegatus <small>(Gilchrist, 1903)</small>
- Symphurus varius <small>Garman, 1899</small> (Mottled tonguefish)
- Symphurus williamsi <small>D. S. Jordan & Culver, 1895</small> (William's tonguefish)
- Symphurus woodmasoni <small>(Alcock, 1889)</small>
References