Scientific Name
Symphurus melanurus

Common Name
Drab tonguefish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 96-104; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 79 - 87; Vertebrae: 50 - 54

Classification

Classified By

Clark, 1936

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes)

Family

Tonguefishes (Cynoglossidae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Pacific

Distribution

Eastern Pacific: Mexico to Ecuador. The Seychelles record in Smith & Smith 1963 (Ref. 1623) was based on the type specimen of Symphurus seychellensis which was previously recorded as coming from Seychelles; the correct type locality for the species is northern Peru (Ref. 26282).

Range

25°N - 3°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

35 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range 1 - 35 m (Ref. 9294)

Trophic Level

3.3 s.e. 0.40 Based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

18.6 cm

Common Length

15.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: of no interest

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (35 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)