Fish Identification: Find Species

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

(See list of species below)


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88 species (see list below)
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No picture found

Max. Length 12.2 cm SL
 
Symphurus arabicus
[]
No picture found

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

Photo by FAO

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

Photo by Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus atricauda
[California tonguefish]
No picture found
 
Symphurus australis
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 12.1 cm SL
 
Symphurus bathyspilus
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 11.9 cm SL
 
Symphurus billykrietei
[Kriete's tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 6.0 cm SL
 
Symphurus brachycephalus
[Short-headed tonguefish]

Photo by Robertson, R.

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

Photo by Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Symphurus callopterus
[Chocolate tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 13 cm SL
 
Symphurus caribbeanus
[]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 26.5 cm TL
Symphurus chabanaudi Mahadeva & Munroe, 1990

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

Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory

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

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

Photo by FAO

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

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

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 23.8 cm TL
Symphurus elongatus (Günther, 1868)

Photo by Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Symphurus elongatus
[Elongate tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 4.5 cm SL
 
Symphurus fallax
[]

Photo by Robertson, R.

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

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

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 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 Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Symphurus gorgonae
[Gorgonian tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 10.0 cm SL
 
Symphurus hernandezi
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 3.2 cm SL
 
Symphurus holothuriae
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 12.2 cm SL
 
Symphurus hondoensis
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 5.7 cm SL
 
Symphurus hongae
[Hong's tonguefish]

Photo by Wirtz, P.

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

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

Photo by Robertson, R.

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

Photo by Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Symphurus leeorum
[Lee's tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 2.4 cm SL
 
Symphurus leptosomus
[Slender tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 6.7 cm SL
 
Symphurus leucochilus
[]

Photo by Costa, F.

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

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

Max. Length 6.6 cm SL
 
Symphurus longirostris
[Long-snout tonguefish]
No picture found
 
Symphurus lubbocki
[]
No picture found
 
Symphurus luzonensis
[]
No picture found
 
Symphurus macrophthalmus
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 8.4 cm SL
 
Symphurus maculopinnis
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 11 cm TL
 
Symphurus maldivensis
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 14.6 cm SL
 
Symphurus marginatus
[Margined tonguefish]
No picture found

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 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 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 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 Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus microlepis
[Smallfin tonguefish]
No picture found

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 Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada
 
Symphurus minor
[Largescale tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 5.5 cm SL
 
Symphurus monostigmus
[Spotbelly tonguefish]

Photo by Lee, M.-Y.

Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 10.4 cm SL
Symphurus multimaculatus Lee, Munroe & Chen, 2009

Photo by Photo by Lee, M.-Y.
 
Symphurus multimaculatus
[Pepperdot tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 10 cm TL
 
Symphurus nebulosus
[Freckled tonguefish]

Photo by Patzner, R.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 12.3 cm TL
Symphurus nigrescens Rafinesque, 1810

Photo by Photo by Patzner, R.
 
Symphurus nigrescens
[Tonguesole]

Photo by FAO

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

Photo by Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus normani
[Norman's tonguesole]

Photo by Shao, K.T.

Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 9.6 cm SL
Symphurus novemfasciatus Shen & Lin, 1984

Photo by Photo by Shao, K.T.
 
Symphurus novemfasciatus
[]
No picture found

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 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 Photo by MNHN
 
Symphurus oculellus
[]

Photo by Robertson, R.

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

Photo by Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Symphurus oligomerus
[Spotfin tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 5.7 cm SL
 
Symphurus ommaspilus
[Ocellated tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 10 cm SL
 
Symphurus orientalis
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 10.1 cm
 
Symphurus oxyrhynchus
[Sharpnose tonguefish]
No picture found

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

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 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 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 Photo by Sazima, I.
 
Symphurus plagusia
[Duskycheek tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 5.0 cm SL
 
Symphurus polylepis
[Small-scale tonguefish]

Photo by FAO

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

Photo by Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus prolatinaris
[Halfstriped tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 7.5 cm TL
 
Symphurus pusillus
[Northern tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 12 cm TL
 
Symphurus regani
[]

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

Eastern Atlantic

Symphurus reticulatus Munroe, 1990

Photo by Photo by Brown,J./EMD, St Helena Government
 
Symphurus reticulatus
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 4.5 cm SL
 
Symphurus rhytisma
[Patchtail tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 6.8 cm SL
 
Symphurus robustus
[Robust tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 11.5 cm SL
 
Symphurus sayademalhensis
[]
No picture found
 
Symphurus schultzi
[]

Photo by FAO

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

Photo by Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus septemstriatus
[Sevenband tonguesole]
No picture found

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 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 Photo by Carvalho Filho, A.
 
Symphurus tessellatus
[]
No picture found

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

Max. Length 11.1 cm TL
 
Symphurus undatus
[]

Photo by FAO

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

Photo by 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 Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory
 
Symphurus urospilus
[Spottail tonguefish]
No picture found

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 Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus variegatus
[]

Photo by FAO

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

Photo by Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus varius
[Mottled tonguefish]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 18.7 cm TL
Symphurus williamsi Jordan & Culver, 1895

Photo by Photo by FAO
 
Symphurus williamsi
[William's tonguefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 13.6 cm SL
 
Symphurus woodmasoni
[]


Sort by: Species Length Year
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Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm) Year
Symphurus arabicus Western Indian Ocean 12.2 SL 1954
Symphurus arawak Caribbean tonguefish Western Atlantic 5.1 TL 1965
Symphurus atramentatus Inkspot tonguefish Eastern Pacific 14.4 SL 1890
Symphurus atricauda California tonguefish Eastern Central Pacific 21 TL 1880
Symphurus australis Indo-West Pacific 1907
Symphurus bathyspilus Western Central Pacific 12.1 SL 2003
Symphurus billykrietei Kriete's tonguefish Northwest Atlantic 11.9 SL 1998
Symphurus brachycephalus Short-headed tonguefish Western Pacific 6.0 SL 2021
Symphurus callopterus Chocolate tonguefish Eastern Pacific 16.2 SL 1989
Symphurus caribbeanus Western Atlantic 13 SL 1991
Symphurus chabanaudi Chabanaud's tonguefish Eastern Pacific 26.5 TL 1990
Symphurus civitatum Offshore tonguefish Northwestern Atlantic 17 TL 1951
Symphurus diabolicus Devil's tonguefish Southeast Pacific 11.3 SL 1990
Symphurus diomedeanus Spottedfin tonguefish Western Atlantic 22 TL 1885
Symphurus elongatus Elongate tonguefish Eastern Central Pacific 23.8 TL 1868
Symphurus fallax Western Pacific 4.5 SL 1957
Symphurus fasciolaris Banded tongue-fish Eastern Central Pacific 24.5 TL 1892
Symphurus fuscus Western Indian Ocean 1906
Symphurus gilesii Western Central Pacific. 14 TL 1889
Symphurus ginsburgi Ginsburg's tonguefish Southwest Atlantic 9 SL 1976
Symphurus gorgonae Gorgonian tonguefish Eastern Pacific 8.2 SL 1948
Symphurus hernandezi Caribbean 10.0 SL 2003
Symphurus holothuriae Eastern Indian Ocean 3.2 SL 1948
Symphurus hondoensis Northwest Pacific 12.2 SL 1915
Symphurus hongae Hong's tonguefish Northwestern Pacific 5.7 SL 2021
Symphurus insularis Eastern Atlantic 8.0 SL 2000
Symphurus jenynsi Jenyn's tonguefish Southwest Atlantic 31.9 SL 1906
Symphurus kyaropterygium Southwest Atlantic 12 SL 1976
Symphurus leeorum Lee's tonguefish Eastern Central Pacific 14.8 SL 1890
Symphurus leptosomus Slender tonguefish Western Pacific 2.4 SL 2021
Symphurus leucochilus Northwestern Pacific 6.7 SL 2014
Symphurus ligulatus Elongate tonguesole Eastern Atlantic 12.8 TL 1844
Symphurus longirostris Long-snout tonguefish Northwestern Pacific 6.6 SL 2016
Symphurus lubbocki Southeast Atlantic 1990
Symphurus luzonensis Western Central Pacific 1955
Symphurus macrophthalmus Western Indian Ocean 1939
Symphurus maculopinnis Western Pacific 8.4 SL 2011
Symphurus maldivensis Western Indian Ocean 11 TL 1955
Symphurus marginatus Margined tonguefish Western Atlantic 14.6 SL 1886
Symphurus marmoratus Indo-Pacific 9.8 SL 1934
Symphurus megasomus Giant tonguefish Northwest Pacific 14.7 SL 2009
Symphurus melanurus Drab tonguefish Eastern Pacific 18.6 SL 1936
Symphurus melasmatotheca Blackstripe tonguefish Eastern Pacific 13.6 SL 1990
Symphurus microlepis Smallfin tonguefish Eastern Central Pacific 10 SL 1899
Symphurus microrhynchus Western Pacific Ocean 7.1 TL 1913
Symphurus minor Largescale tonguefish Western Atlantic 9 TL 1951
Symphurus monostigmus Spotbelly tonguefish Western Indian Ocean 5.5 SL 2006
Symphurus multimaculatus Pepperdot tonguefish Northwest Pacific 10.4 SL 2009
Symphurus nebulosus Freckled tonguefish Western Atlantic 10 TL 1883
Symphurus nigrescens Tonguesole Eastern Atlantic 12.3 TL 1810
Symphurus normani Norman's tonguesole Eastern Atlantic 70 TL 1950
Symphurus novemfasciatus Northwest Pacific 9.6 SL 1984
Symphurus ocellaris Ringtail tonguefish Eastern Central Pacific 7.3 SL 2005
Symphurus ocellatus Double-spot tonguesole Western Indian Ocean 12 TL 1922
Symphurus oculellus Western Atlantic 18.9 SL 1991
Symphurus oligomerus Spotfin tonguefish Eastern Pacific 14.6 SL 1990
Symphurus ommaspilus Ocellated tonguefish Western Central Atlantic 5.7 SL 1961
Symphurus orientalis Northwest Pacific 10 SL 1879
Symphurus oxyrhynchus Sharpnose tonguefish Northwest Pacific 10.1 2022
Symphurus parvus Pygmy tonguefish Western Atlantic 9 TL 1951
Symphurus pelicanus Longtail tonguefish Western Atlantic 9 TL 1951
Symphurus piger Deepwater tonguefish Western Atlantic 15 TL 1886
Symphurus plagiusa Blackcheek tonguefish Western Atlantic 21 TL 1766
Symphurus plagusia Duskycheek tonguefish Western Atlantic 25 TL 1801
Symphurus polylepis Small-scale tonguefish Western Pacific 5.0 SL 2021
Symphurus prolatinaris Halfstriped tonguefish Eastern Central Pacific 16.1 SL 1991
Symphurus pusillus Northern tonguefish Northwestern Atlantic 7.5 TL 1885
Symphurus regani Western Central Pacific 12 TL 1929
Symphurus reticulatus Eastern Atlantic 1990
Symphurus rhytisma Patchtail tonguefish Western Central Atlantic 4.5 SL 1961
Symphurus robustus Robust tonguefish Norhwestern Pacific 6.8 SL 2021
Symphurus sayademalhensis Western Indian Ocean 11.5 SL 1955
Symphurus schultzi Western Pacific 1955
Symphurus septemstriatus Sevenband tonguesole Indo-West Pacific 10 TL 1891
Symphurus stigmosus Blotchfin tonguefish Western Central Atlantic 12.6 SL 1998
Symphurus strictus Blackbelly tonguesole Indo-Pacific 14 TL 1905
Symphurus tessellatus Western Atlantic 22 SL 1824
Symphurus thermophilus Western Pacific tonguefish Pacific 10.2 SL 2008
Symphurus trewavasae Trewavas' tonguefish Southwest Atlantic 18.2 TL 1948
Symphurus trifasciatus Threeband tonguesole Indian Ocean 11.6 SL 1894
Symphurus undatus Western Central Pacific 11.1 TL 1905
Symphurus undecimplerus Dark cheek tongue Eastern Pacific 14.2 SL 1990
Symphurus urospilus Spottail tonguefish Western Atlantic 16.6 SL 1951
Symphurus vanmelleae Vanmelle's tonguefish Eastern Central Atlantic 11.8 SL 1952
Symphurus variegatus Southeast Atlantic 9 TL 1903
Symphurus varius Mottled tonguefish Eastern Pacific 10.8 SL 1899
Symphurus williamsi William's tonguefish Eastern Pacific 18.7 TL 1895
Symphurus woodmasoni Eastern Indian Ocean 13.6 SL 1889



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