Synodontidae

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Lizardfishes
Temporal range: Eocene–recent
Synodus intermedius.jpg
Synodus intermedius
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Aulopiformes
Suborder: Synodontoidei
Family: Synodontidae
T. N. Gill, 1862
Genera
Synonyms

Harpadontidae

The Synodontidae or lizardfishes [note 1] are benthic (bottom-dwelling) marine and estuarine bony fishes that belong to the aulopiform fish order, a diverse group of marine ray-finned fish consisting of some 15 extant and several prehistoric families. They are found in tropical and subtropical marine waters throughout the world.

Contents

Lizardfishes are generally small, although the largest species measures about 60 cm (24 in) in length. They have slender, somewhat cylindrical bodies, and heads that superficially resemble those of lizards. The dorsal fin is located in the middle of the back, and accompanied by a small adipose fin placed closer to the tail. [2] They have mouths full of sharp teeth, even on the tongue. [1]

Lizardfishes are benthic animals that live in shallow coastal waters; even the deepest-dwelling species of lizardfish live in waters no more than 400 m (1,300 ft) deep. Some species in the subfamily Harpadontinae live in brackish estuaries. They prefer sandy environments, and typically have body colours that help to camouflage them in such environments. [2]

The larvae of lizardfishes are free-swimming. They are distinguished by the presence of black blotches in their guts, clearly visible through their transparent, scaleless skin.

While it may not be as well known as some other types of fish, it is still consumed in many cultures and can be used in a variety of culinary preparations.

Taxonomy

Three genera of the Synodontidae are known to inhabit the western Atlantic, including Synodus, represented by six species, Saurida, represented by four species, and Trachinocephalus, represented by a single species. [3] The six species comprising the genus Synodus are S. intermedius , S. saurus , S. synodus , S. foetens , S. bondi, and S. macrostigmus . [3] The four species comprising the genus Saurida are S. umeyoshii , S. pseudotumbil , S. undosquamis , and S. tumbil . The single species of Trachinocephalus is T. myops. The extinct Argillichthys is represented only by a single species, A. toombsi, from the Eocene-aged London Clay formation. [2]

See also

Notes

  1. (or typical lizardfish to distinguish them from the Bathysauridae and Pseudotrichonotidae)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aulopiformes</span> Order of fishes

Aulopiformes is a diverse order of marine ray-finned fish consisting of some 15 extant and several prehistoric families with about 45 genera and over 230 species. The common names grinners, lizardfishes and allies, or aulopiforms are sometimes used for this group. The scientific name means "Aulopus-shaped", from Aulopus + the standard fish order suffix "-formes". It ultimately derives from Ancient Greek aulós + Latin forma, the former in reference to the elongated shape of many aulopiforms.

The arrowtooth lizardfish is a lizardfish of the family Synodontidae, found in isolate locations across the southwestern Pacific, at depths of between 9 and 200 m. Its length is between 15 and 28 cm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inshore lizardfish</span> Species of fish

The inshore lizardfish is a member of the family Synodontidae found in the western Atlantic.

<i>Synodus</i> Genus of fishes

Synodus is a genus of fish in the family Synodontidae found in Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Variegated lizardfish</span> Species of fish

The variegated lizardfish is a lizardfish of the family Synodontidae found in the western Pacific and Indian Oceans, at depths from 4 to 90 m. It can reach a maximum length of 40 cm.

<i>Trachinocephalus myops</i> Species of fish

Trachinocephalus myops, the blunt-nose lizardfish, is a species of fish in the family Synodontidae found in Atlantic Ocean. This species grows to a length of 40 centimetres (16 in) TL. It has been discovered that the species has two peaks in its spawning season, from February to April and from August to October. This suggests that their reproductive activity is suitable for the different environments the species utilizes.

<i>Synodus intermedius</i> Species of fish

Synodus intermedius, the common sand diver, is a species of fish in the lizardfish family, the Synodontidae, a basal ray-finned fish in the class Actinopterygii. Sand divers inhabit subtropical marine ecosystems, (37-17°N), including sandy- bottom areas on continental shelves, coral reefs, estuaries, bays, and reef structures. They are demersal or benthic fish, which means they live on or close to the sea bed. Distribution ranges from the northern Gulf of Mexico south to the Guianas, and western Atlantic north to North Carolina and Bermuda. They are a common lizardfish in the West Indies. They grow to about 40 cm (16 in) total length, and weigh around 1 kg (2.2 lb).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California lizardfish</span> Species of fish

The California lizardfish is a species of lizardfish primarily inhabiting the Californian coast. It has a long, brown body, which offers it camouflage in its habitat, the sandy bottom of the ocean. From its hiding spot on the bottom it ambushes small fish and squid. California lizardfish are oviparous and are believed to spawn in the summer months.

<i>Saurida undosquamis</i> Species of fish

Saurida undosquamis, the brushtooth lizardfish, large-scale grinner or largescale saury, is a type of lizardfish, a demersal species that occurs in the Eastern Indian Ocean, Malay Peninsula, northern Java, Arafura Sea, Louisiade Archipelago, southern Philippines and northern Australia,. Reports of its occurrence in the Red Sea region and introduction to the Mediterranean are questionable,.

The orangemouth lizardfish is a species of lizardfish that lives mainly in the Eastern Central Pacific.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smallscale lizardfish</span> Species of fish

The smallscale lizardfish(Saurida caribbaea) is a species of lizardfish that lives mainly in the Western Atlantic.

Synodus oculeus is a species of lizardfish that lives mainly in the Western Pacific.

Synodus lobeli, Lobel's lizardfish, is a species of lizardfish that lives mainly in the Northwest Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lighthouse lizardfish</span> Species of fish

The lighthouse lizardfish(Synodus jaculum) is a species of lizardfish that lives mainly in the Indo-Pacific.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sand lizardfish</span> Species of fish

The sand lizardfish, clearfin lizardfish or variegated lizardfish is a species of lizardfish that lives mainly in the Indo-Pacific.

<i>Saurida</i> Genus of fishes

Saurida is a genus of fish in the family Synodontidae.

Synodus macrostigmus, commonly known as the largespot lizardfish, is a species of fish in the lizardfish family, Synodontidae, a basal ray-finned fish in the class Actinopterygii. It is native to the warm temperate western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

Synodus mundyi is a lizardfish of the family Synodontidae, found in the Hawaiian Islands, at depths of between 9 and 200 m. Its length is between 15 and 28 cm.

The Lessepsian lizardfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Synodontidae, the lizardfishes. This species was first formally described in 2015 by Russell, Golani and Tikochinski from the Israeli part of the Red Sea. This species is found in the Indian Ocean from South Africa north to the Red Sea and east to the Andaman Sea. It has entered the Mediterranean Sea, probably through the Suez Canal as a Lessepsian migrant and is now a commercially important species for fisheries in the eastern part of that sea. This species was previously thought to have been either S. undosquamis or S. macrolepis.

Synodus isolatus, the Rapa Nui lizardfish, is a species of small lizardfish that is endemic to the shallow waters of the southern Pacific Ocean around Easter Island.

References

  1. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Family Synodontidae". FishBase . December 2008 version.
  2. 1 2 3 Johnson, R.K. & Eschmeyer, W.N. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 123–124. ISBN   0-12-547665-5.
  3. 1 2 Benjamin W. Frable; Carole C. Baldwin; Brendan M. Luther & Lee A. Weigt (March 2013). "A New Species of Western Atlantic Lizardfish (Teleostei: Synodontidae: Synodus) and Resurrection of Synodus bondi Fowler, 1939, as a Valid Species from the Caribbean with Redescriptions of S. bondi, S. foetens (Linnaeus, 1766), and S. intermedius (Agassiz, 1829)" (PDF). Fish. Bull. 111 (NMFS Fishery Bulletin): 122–146. doi: 10.7755/FB.111.2.2 .