Species: Symphurus hernandezi, Species A Tonguefish

Symphurus hernandezi Saavedra-Diaz, Munroe & Acero, 2004

Species A Tonguefish

Body highly compressed, elongate, oval, tapers to pointed tail; eyes small, touching or nearly so, on left side, no cover over pupil; lower jaw without fleshy crest on eye-side; teeth along entire length of both eye-side jaws; preopercle edge covered with skin; dorsal origin ~ above upper eye, 95-102 rays; anal fin 80-86 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; ~77-86 lateral scales; no scales on blind side dorsal and anal rays; no lateral line.

Eye-side head and body brown; a small, diffuse dark blotch on tail; blind side lips white; operculum and gut area dark blue-black; dorsal and anal fins bluish purple, with darker bases; tail fin light brown at base, a dark brown central bar, outer part bluish-purple; blind side head and front 2/3 of body metallic blue, densely peppered with dark dots, rear 1/3 of body brown, with fewer dark dots; lining of gut cavity black.

Size: 12.7 cm.

Habitat: presumably sand and mud bottoms.

Depth: 148-500 m.

Central Colombia.