Variegated lizardfish

The variegated lizardfish (Synodus variegatus) 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.[1]

Variegated lizardfish
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Aulopiformes
Family:
Synodontidae
Genus:
Synodus
Species:
S. variegatus
Binomial name
Synodus variegatus
(Lacépède, 1803)
Synonyms

Synodus englemani
L. P. Schultz, 1953

Description

The variegated lizardfish is rounded in cross-section with a broad, moderately flattened head and a large, wide mouth. The jaws protrude equally. Both jaws and all the mouth bones are covered with conical, barbed teeth. The strong, thick pelvic fins serve as props when the fish is resting on the bottom waiting for prey.

The variegated lizardfish varies in color from grey to red, with hourglass-shaped markings.

Taxonomy

The species Synodus dermatogenys was once misidentified as S. variegatus, while the true S. variegatus was referred to as S. englemani Schultz, 1953 by many authors, including Gosline & Brock (1960) and Cressey (1981).[2][3] However, Waples and Randall (1989) showed that S. variegatus is a senior synonym of S. englemani, and that S. dermatogenys is the correct name for the lizardfish that Cressey (1981) identified as S. variegatus.[4]

References
  1. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2007). "Synodus variegatus" in FishBase. January 2007 version.
  2. GOSLINE, W. A., and V. E. BROCK. 1960. Handbook of Hawaiian fishes. Univ. Hawaii Press, Honolulu.
  3. Cressey, R. 1981. Revision of the Indo-West Pacific lizardfishes of the genus Synodus (Pisces: Synodontidae). Smithson. Contrib. Zool. 342: I-53.
  4. WAPLES, R. S., and J. E. RANDALL. 1988. A revision of the Hawaiian lizardfishes of the genus Synodus, with descriptions of four new species. Pac. Sci. 42(3-4): 178-213.
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