Species: Symphurus rhytisma, Patchtail Tonguefish

Symphurus rhytisma Bohlke, 1961

Patchtail Tonguefish

Body highly compressed, elongate, oval, tapers to pointed tail; body moderately deep; head long and narrow; snout moderately long and pointed; eyes small, close together on left side, no cover over pupil; mouth reaches to just behind front of pupil, lower jaw without fleshy crest on eye-side; well developed teeth on all jaws; preopercle edge covered with skin; dorsal origin ~ above upper eye, 83-87 rays; anal fin 68-71 rays; pectoral fins absent, represented by a fine membrane; only left pelvic fin present, 4 rays, on body midline, joined to anal fin by delicate membrane; dorsal and anal fins confluent with the pointed caudal fin; tail fin 12 rays; 91-97 lateral scales; no scales on dorsal and anal fin rays on blind side; no lateral line.

Body whitish to palid, usually 8 (2-8) faint, narrow cross-bars on head and body; a diffuse dark blotch covering basal 1/3 of tail fin and rear of dorsal and anal fins, outer 2/3 of tail fin unpigmented; inside operculum and lining of gut cavity unpigmented; blind side pale, without dark dots.

Size: 5 cm.

Habitat: sand bottoms near coral reefs.

Depth: 3-25 m.

The Bahamas to Brazil.