Other identification tools | FishBase

Fish Identification: Find Species

Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Pleuronectiformes
Family: Cynoglossidae Tonguefishes
Subfamily: Symphurinae
Genus: Symphurus

(See list of species below)



Select Class:     Select Order:   
Select Family: Subfamily:     Select Genus:

Select Ocean (marine/brackish) or Continent (freshwater):
                                                          Specify a country:

Total number of spines in dorsal and anal fins (optional)


75 species (see list below)

1 of 1 Jump to:
No picture found
Western Atlantic
Max. Length 5.1 cm TL

 
Symphurus arawak
[Caribbean tonguefish]

Photo by Allen, G.R.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 14.4 cm SL
Symphurus atramentatus Jordan & Bollman, 1890

Photo by Allen, G.R.
 
Symphurus atramentatus
[Inkspot tonguefish]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 21 cm TL
Symphurus atricaudus (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880)

Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus atricaudus
[California tonguefish]
No picture found
Indo-West Pacific.

 
Symphurus australis
[]
No picture found
Western Central Pacific
Max. Length 12.1 cm SL

 
Symphurus bathyspilus
[]
No picture found
Northwest Atlantic
Max. Length 11.9 cm SL

 
Symphurus billykrietei
[Kriete's tonguefish]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 16.2 cm SL
Symphurus callopterus Munroe & Mahadeva, 1989

Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Symphurus callopterus
[Chocolate tonguefish]
No picture found
Western Atlantic
Max. Length 13 cm SL

 
Symphurus caribbeanus
[]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 25 cm TL
Symphurus chabanaudi Mahadeva & Munroe, 1990

Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Symphurus chabanaudi
[Chabanaud's tonguefish]

Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory

Northwestern Atlantic
Max. Length 17 cm TL
Symphurus civitatium Ginsburg, 1951

Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory
 
Symphurus civitatium
[Offshore tonguefish]

Photo by FAO

Southeast Pacific
Max. Length 11.3 cm SL
Symphurus diabolicus Mahadeva & Munroe, 1990

Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus diabolicus
[Devil's tonguefish]

Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 22 cm TL
Symphurus diomedeanus (Goode & Bean, 1885)

Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory
 
Symphurus diomedeanus
[Spottedfin tonguefish]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 15.8 cm SL
Symphurus elongatus (Günther, 1868)

Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Symphurus elongatus
[Elongate tonguefish]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 24.5 cm TL
Symphurus fasciolaris Gilbert, 1892

Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Symphurus fasciolaris
[Banded tongue-fish]
No picture found
Western Indian Ocean

 
Symphurus fuscus
[]
No picture found
Western Central Pacific.
Max. Length 14 cm TL

 
Symphurus gilesii
[]

Photo by Fischer, L.G.

Southwest Atlantic
Max. Length 9 cm SL
Symphurus ginsburgi Menezes & Benvegnú, 1976

Photo by Fischer, L.G.
 
Symphurus ginsburgi
[Ginsburg's tonguefish]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 8.2 cm SL
Symphurus gorgonae Chabanaud, 1948

Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Symphurus gorgonae
[Gorgonian tonguefish]
No picture found
Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 12.2 cm SL

 
Symphurus hondoensis
[]

Photo by Wirtz, P.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 8.0 cm SL
Symphurus insularis Munroe, Brito & Hernández, 2000

Photo by Wirtz, P.
 
Symphurus insularis
[]

Photo by Martins, I.A.

Southwest Atlantic
Max. Length 31.9 cm SL
Symphurus jenynsi Evermann & Kendall, 1906

Photo by Martins, I.A.
 
Symphurus jenynsi
[Jenyn's tonguefish]

Photo by Figueiredo, J.L./Menezes, N.A.

Southwest Atlantic
Max. Length 12 cm SL
Symphurus kyaropterygium Menezes & Benvegnú, 1976

Photo by Figueiredo, J.L./Menezes, N.A.
 
Symphurus kyaropterygium
[]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 14.8 cm SL
Symphurus leei Jordan & Bollman, 1890

Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Symphurus leei
[Lee's tonguefish]

Photo by Costa, F.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 12.8 cm TL
Symphurus ligulatus (Cocco, 1844)

Photo by Costa, F.
 
Symphurus ligulatus
[Elongate tonguesole]
No picture found
Southeast Atlantic

 
Symphurus lubbocki
[]
No picture found
Western Central Pacific

 
Symphurus luzonensis
[]
No picture found
Western Indian Ocean

 
Symphurus macrophthalmus
[]
No picture found
Western Pacific
Max. Length 8.4 cm SL

 
Symphurus maculopinnis
[]
No picture found
Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 11 cm TL

 
Symphurus maldivensis
[]
No picture found
Western Atlantic
Max. Length 14.6 cm SL

 
Symphurus marginatus
[Margined tonguefish]
No picture found
Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 9.8 cm SL

 
Symphurus marmoratus
[]

Photo by Lee, M.-Y.

Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 14.7 cm SL
Symphurus megasomus Lee, Chen & Shao, 2009

Photo by Lee, M.-Y.
 
Symphurus megasomus
[Giant tonguefish]

Photo by Allen, G.R.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 18.6 cm SL
Symphurus melanurus Clark, 1936

Photo by Allen, G.R.
 
Symphurus melanurus
[Drab tonguefish]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 13.6 cm SL
Symphurus melasmatotheca Munroe & Nizinski, 1990

Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Symphurus melasmatotheca
[Blackstripe tonguefish]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 10 cm SL
Symphurus microlepis Garman, 1899

Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus microlepis
[Smallfin tonguefish]
No picture found
Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 7.1 cm TL

 
Symphurus microrhynchus
[]

Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 9 cm TL
Symphurus minor Ginsburg, 1951

Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada
 
Symphurus minor
[Largescale tonguefish]
No picture found
Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 5.5 cm SL

 
Symphurus monostigmus
[]

Photo by Lee, M.-Y.

Pacific Ocean
Max. Length 9.4 cm SL
Symphurus multimaculatus Lee, Munroe & Chen, 2009

Photo by Lee, M.-Y.
 
Symphurus multimaculatus
[Pepperdot tonguefish]
No picture found
Western Atlantic
Max. Length 10 cm TL

 
Symphurus nebulosus
[Freckled tonguefish]

Photo by Patzner, R.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 12 cm SL
Symphurus nigrescens Rafinesque, 1810

Photo by Patzner, R.
 
Symphurus nigrescens
[Tonguesole]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 70 cm TL
Symphurus normani Chabanaud, 1950

Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus normani
[Norman's tonguesole]

Photo by Shao, K.T.

Northwest Pacific

Symphurus novemfasciatus Shen & Lin, 1984

Photo by Shao, K.T.
 
Symphurus novemfasciatus
[]
No picture found
Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 7.3 cm SL

 
Symphurus ocellaris
[Ringtail tonguefish]

Photo by SFSA

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 12 cm TL
Symphurus ocellatus von Bonde, 1922

Photo by SFSA
 
Symphurus ocellatus
[Double-spot tonguesole]

Photo by MNHN

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 18.9 cm SL
Symphurus oculellus Munroe, 1991

Photo by MNHN
 
Symphurus oculellus
[]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 14.6 cm SL
Symphurus oligomerus Mahadeva & Munroe, 1990

Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Symphurus oligomerus
[Spotfin tonguefish]
No picture found
Western Central Atlantic
Max. Length 5.7 cm SL

 
Symphurus ommaspilus
[Ocellated tonguefish]
No picture found
Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 10 cm SL

 
Symphurus orientalis
[]
No picture found
Western Atlantic
Max. Length 9 cm TL

 
Symphurus parvus
[Pygmy tonguefish]
No picture found
Western Atlantic
Max. Length 9 cm TL

 
Symphurus pelicanus
[Longtail tonguefish]

Photo by Love, J.W.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 15 cm TL
Symphurus piger (Goode & Bean, 1886)

Photo by Love, J.W.
 
Symphurus piger
[Deepwater tonguefish]

Photo by Howell, W.M./Jenkins, R.L.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 21 cm TL
Symphurus plagiusa (Linnaeus, 1766)

Photo by Howell, W.M./Jenkins, R.L.
 
Symphurus plagiusa
[Blackcheek tonguefish]

Photo by Sazima, I.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 25 cm TL
Symphurus plagusia (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Photo by Sazima, I.
 
Symphurus plagusia
[Duskycheek tonguefish]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 16.1 cm SL
Symphurus prolatinaris Munroe, Nizinski & Mahadeva, 1991

Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus prolatinaris
[Halfstriped tonguefish]
No picture found
Northwestern Atlantic
Max. Length 7.5 cm TL

 
Symphurus pusillus
[Northern tonguefish]
No picture found
Western Central Pacific
Max. Length 12 cm TL

 
Symphurus regani
[]

Photo by Brown,J./EMD, St Helena Government

Eastern Atlantic

Symphurus reticulatus Munroe, 1990

Photo by Brown,J./EMD, St Helena Government
 
Symphurus reticulatus
[]
No picture found
Western Central Atlantic
Max. Length 4.5 cm SL

 
Symphurus rhytisma
[Patchtail tonguefish]
No picture found
Western Pacific

 
Symphurus schultzi
[]

Photo by FAO

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 10 cm TL
Symphurus septemstriatus (Alcock, 1891)

Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus septemstriatus
[Sevenband tonguesole]
No picture found
Western Central Atlantic
Max. Length 12.6 cm SL

 
Symphurus stigmosus
[Blotchfin tonguefish]

Photo by Shao, K.T.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 14 cm TL
Symphurus strictus Gilbert, 1905

Photo by Shao, K.T.
 
Symphurus strictus
[Blackbelly tonguesole]

Photo by Carvalho Filho, A.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 22 cm SL
Symphurus tessellatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)

Photo by Carvalho Filho, A.
 
Symphurus tessellatus
[]
No picture found
Pacific
Max. Length 10.2 cm SL

 
Symphurus thermophilus
[Western Pacific tonguefish]

Photo by Figueiredo, J.L./Menezes, N.A.

Southwest Atlantic
Max. Length 18.2 cm TL
Symphurus trewavasae Chabanaud, 1948

Photo by Figueiredo, J.L./Menezes, N.A.
 
Symphurus trewavasae
[Trewavas' tonguefish]

Photo by FAO

Indian Ocean
Max. Length 11.6 cm SL
Symphurus trifasciatus (Alcock, 1894)

Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus trifasciatus
[Threeband tonguesole]
No picture found
Western Central Pacific

 
Symphurus undatus
[]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 14.2 cm SL
Symphurus undecimplerus Munroe & Nizinski, 1990

Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus undecimplerus
[Dark cheek tongue]

Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 16.6 cm SL
Symphurus urospilus Ginsburg, 1951

Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory
 
Symphurus urospilus
[Spottail tonguefish]
No picture found
Eastern Central Atlantic
Max. Length 11.8 cm SL

 
Symphurus vanmelleae
[Vanmelle’s tonguefish]

Photo by FAO

Southeast Atlantic
Max. Length 9 cm TL
Symphurus variegatus (Gilchrist, 1903)

Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus variegatus
[]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 10.8 cm SL
Symphurus varius Garman, 1899

Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus varius
[Mottled tonguefish]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 11.6 cm SL
Symphurus williamsi Jordan & Culver, 1895

Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus williamsi
[William's tonguefish]
No picture found
Eastern Indian Ocean
Max. Length 13.6 cm SL

 
Symphurus woodmasoni
[]
75 Species of Family Cynoglossidae with Genus Symphurus
(Tonguefishes)
Sort by: Species Length Year
1 of 1 Jump to:
Year Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm)
1965 Symphurus arawak Caribbean tonguefish Western Atlantic 5.1 TL
1890 Symphurus atramentatus Inkspot tonguefish Eastern Pacific 14.4 SL
1880 Symphurus atricaudus California tonguefish Eastern Central Pacific 21 TL
1907 Symphurus australis Indo-West Pacific.
2003 Symphurus bathyspilus Western Central Pacific 12.1 SL
1998 Symphurus billykrietei Kriete's tonguefish Northwest Atlantic 11.9 SL
1989 Symphurus callopterus Chocolate tonguefish Eastern Pacific 16.2 SL
1991 Symphurus caribbeanus Western Atlantic 13 SL
1990 Symphurus chabanaudi Chabanaud's tonguefish Eastern Pacific 25 TL
1951 Symphurus civitatium Offshore tonguefish Northwestern Atlantic 17 TL
1990 Symphurus diabolicus Devil's tonguefish Southeast Pacific 11.3 SL
1885 Symphurus diomedeanus Spottedfin tonguefish Western Atlantic 22 TL
1868 Symphurus elongatus Elongate tonguefish Eastern Central Pacific 15.8 SL
1892 Symphurus fasciolaris Banded tongue-fish Eastern Central Pacific 24.5 TL
1906 Symphurus fuscus Western Indian Ocean
1889 Symphurus gilesii Western Central Pacific. 14 TL
1976 Symphurus ginsburgi Ginsburg's tonguefish Southwest Atlantic 9 SL
1948 Symphurus gorgonae Gorgonian tonguefish Eastern Pacific 8.2 SL
1915 Symphurus hondoensis Northwest Pacific 12.2 SL
2000 Symphurus insularis Eastern Atlantic 8.0 SL
1906 Symphurus jenynsi Jenyn's tonguefish Southwest Atlantic 31.9 SL
1976 Symphurus kyaropterygium Southwest Atlantic 12 SL
1890 Symphurus leei Lee's tonguefish Eastern Central Pacific 14.8 SL
1844 Symphurus ligulatus Elongate tonguesole Eastern Atlantic 12.8 TL
1990 Symphurus lubbocki Southeast Atlantic
1955 Symphurus luzonensis Western Central Pacific
1939 Symphurus macrophthalmus Western Indian Ocean
2011 Symphurus maculopinnis Western Pacific 8.4 SL
1955 Symphurus maldivensis Western Indian Ocean 11 TL
1886 Symphurus marginatus Margined tonguefish Western Atlantic 14.6 SL
1934 Symphurus marmoratus Indo-Pacific 9.8 SL
2009 Symphurus megasomus Giant tonguefish Northwest Pacific 14.7 SL
1936 Symphurus melanurus Drab tonguefish Eastern Pacific 18.6 SL
1990 Symphurus melasmatotheca Blackstripe tonguefish Eastern Pacific 13.6 SL
1899 Symphurus microlepis Smallfin tonguefish Eastern Central Pacific 10 SL
1913 Symphurus microrhynchus Indo-Pacific 7.1 TL
1951 Symphurus minor Largescale tonguefish Western Atlantic 9 TL
2006 Symphurus monostigmus Western Indian Ocean 5.5 SL
2009 Symphurus multimaculatus Pepperdot tonguefish Pacific Ocean 9.4 SL
1883 Symphurus nebulosus Freckled tonguefish Western Atlantic 10 TL
1810 Symphurus nigrescens Tonguesole Eastern Atlantic 12 SL
1950 Symphurus normani Norman's tonguesole Eastern Atlantic 70 TL
1984 Symphurus novemfasciatus Northwest Pacific
2005 Symphurus ocellaris Ringtail tonguefish Eastern Central Pacific 7.3 SL
1922 Symphurus ocellatus Double-spot tonguesole Western Indian Ocean 12 TL
1991 Symphurus oculellus Western Atlantic 18.9 SL
1990 Symphurus oligomerus Spotfin tonguefish Eastern Pacific 14.6 SL
1961 Symphurus ommaspilus Ocellated tonguefish Western Central Atlantic 5.7 SL
1879 Symphurus orientalis Northwest Pacific 10 SL
1951 Symphurus parvus Pygmy tonguefish Western Atlantic 9 TL
1951 Symphurus pelicanus Longtail tonguefish Western Atlantic 9 TL
1886 Symphurus piger Deepwater tonguefish Western Atlantic 15 TL
1766 Symphurus plagiusa Blackcheek tonguefish Western Atlantic 21 TL
1801 Symphurus plagusia Duskycheek tonguefish Western Atlantic 25 TL
1991 Symphurus prolatinaris Halfstriped tonguefish Eastern Central Pacific 16.1 SL
1885 Symphurus pusillus Northern tonguefish Northwestern Atlantic 7.5 TL
1929 Symphurus regani Western Central Pacific 12 TL
1990 Symphurus reticulatus Eastern Atlantic
1961 Symphurus rhytisma Patchtail tonguefish Western Central Atlantic 4.5 SL
1955 Symphurus schultzi Western Pacific
1891 Symphurus septemstriatus Sevenband tonguesole Indo-West Pacific 10 TL
1998 Symphurus stigmosus Blotchfin tonguefish Western Central Atlantic 12.6 SL
1905 Symphurus strictus Blackbelly tonguesole Indo-Pacific 14 TL
1824 Symphurus tessellatus Western Atlantic 22 SL
2008 Symphurus thermophilus Western Pacific tonguefish Pacific 10.2 SL
1948 Symphurus trewavasae Trewavas' tonguefish Southwest Atlantic 18.2 TL
1894 Symphurus trifasciatus Threeband tonguesole Indian Ocean 11.6 SL
1905 Symphurus undatus Western Central Pacific
1990 Symphurus undecimplerus Dark cheek tongue Eastern Pacific 14.2 SL
1951 Symphurus urospilus Spottail tonguefish Western Atlantic 16.6 SL
1952 Symphurus vanmelleae Vanmelle’s tonguefish Eastern Central Atlantic 11.8 SL
1903 Symphurus variegatus Southeast Atlantic 9 TL
1899 Symphurus varius Mottled tonguefish Eastern Pacific 10.8 SL
1895 Symphurus williamsi William's tonguefish Eastern Pacific 11.6 SL
1889 Symphurus woodmasoni Eastern Indian Ocean 13.6 SL



Other identification tools in FishBase


Quick Identification
Identification keys
Identification by morphometrics
Identification by pictures:
          If you already know the Family, go to Search FishBase, select Family and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in FishBase for the family.

          If you already know the Country, go to
Search FishBase, select Country and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in FishBase for the country.

          If you already know the Ecosystem, go to
Search FishBase, select Ecosystem and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in FishBase for the ecosystem.
cfm script by eagbayani, 30.11.04, ,  php script by cmilitante, 05/11/2010 ,  last modified by cmilitante, 14/03/2013