Take a look at the heads of these fishes and what do you think? Big
mouths, numerous teeth... But wait until you see their almost sneaky
means of waiting, pouncing on prey... able to dive quickly below
sand... Now what would you call these fishes? Lizards! Single dorsal
fin, forked tails...
Genus Saurida: Single row of palatine teeth; either
side of mouth...
Saurida flamma Waples 1982, the Orangemouth
Lizardfish. To 13 inches. Hawai'i, Australs and Pitcairn
Island. Hawai'i pix taken at night off of Kailua showing the
orangish lower jaw. |
|
Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large
(desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to
the larger size. |
|
Genus Synodus:
Synodus binotatus Schultz 1953, the Twospot
Lizardfish. Dual small black spots on the snout. To about 7
inches/18 cm. Indo-Pacific. Here in HI. |
|
Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked
to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images
to go to the larger size. |
|
Synodus dermatogenys Fowler 1912, the Clearfin
Lizardfish. To 23 cm.. Indo-Pacific. Typically found on the sand. Kona 2014 |
|
Synodus intermedius (Spix & Agassiz
1829), the Sand Diver. To 46 cm., 1 kg maximum. Western Atlantic.
Most common lizardfish there. Typically found on the sand, near
boulders. Note dark spot on gill operculum for TWA ID. One in Cancun, Mexico, and a profile of one off
Bonaire. |
|
Synodus jaculum Russell & Cressey 1979,
Lighthouse Lizardfish. Indo-Pacific; East Africa to Marquesas,
Micronesia, Australia. To eight inches in length. Nuka Hiva,
Marquesas, Polynesia photo. |
|
Synodus lacertinus Gilbert 1890,
the Reef Lizardfish. Sea of Cortez to Peru, on rubble bottoms. To
16 cm. Costa Rica (Pacific side)
2011 |
|
Synodus rubromarginatus, Maldives |
|
Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large
(desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to
the larger size. |
|
Synodus synodus, the Red Lizardfish. Small black spot
on "nose", bright red bars across body. Trop. W. Atl. This one in Roatan
2016 |
|
Synodus ulae Schultz 1953, the Ulae
(Lizardfish in Hawaiian). Identified by its eight darkish circles
against a whitish body, blotches on head. To thirteen inches.
Hawai'i and Japan. Common in sandy areas. Hawai'i
photo. |
|
Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies.
Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size. |
|
Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large
(desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to
the larger size. |
|
|
|