Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Pleuronectiformes (Flatfishes) >
Cynoglossidae (Tonguefishes) > Symphurinae
Etymology: Symphurus: Greek, syn, symphysis = grown together + Greek, oura = tail (Ref. 45335); maculopinnis: The specific name, maculopinnis, from the Latin macula, meaning spot, and pinna, meaning fin, referring to the conspicuous spots on the dorsal and anal fins of this species; noun in apposition (Ref. 87974).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range ? - 561 m (Ref. 87974). Tropical; 24°S - 25°S, 177°W - 178°W
Western Pacific: Tonga Arc, Volcano-19. Tunnicliffe et al., 2010 (Ref. 88005) indicated that this species was also observed at shallower depths (between 195-381 m) at a second, nearby site (Volcano-1). However, re-examination of photographs indicates that the individuals upon which these observations were based can not be positively identified. Thus, reported occurrences of S. maculopinnis both at Volcano-1 and at these shallower depths is tenuous (Ref. 87974).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 8.4 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Symphurus maculopinnis is distinguished from all other species of Symphurus by the combination of a 1–2–2–2–1 ID pattern, 14 caudal-fin rays, 3+6 abdominal vertebrae, 49 total vertebrae, about 89 scales in a longitudinal row, 92 dorsal-fin rays, 77 anal-fin rays, a blunt squarish snout, blind-side lower jaw with thick lip with conspicuous plicae, and by conspicuous ocellated (sometimes partially) black spots on the posterior dorsal and anal fins (Ref. 87974).
Known only from the holotype, collected on soft sediments at 561 m; 56 other individuals observed, but not collected, were found on a variety of substrata, including coarse gravel, gravelly sand-shell and gravelly sand, located between 433-561 m on Volcano-19, Tonga Arc, western Pacific. Considered to be a true vent species since (Ref. 87974).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Munroe, T.A., J. Tyler and V. Tunnicliffe, 2011. Description and biological observations on a new species of deepwater symphurine tonguefish (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae: Symphurus) collected at Volcano 19, Tonga Arc, West Pacific Ocean. Zootaxa 3061:53-66. (Ref. 87974)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01122 (0.00514 - 0.02450), b=3.04 (2.87 - 3.21), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).