Synodus lucioceps
California Lizardfish
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Aulopiformes
Synodontidae (Lizardfishes)
Synodus
Synodus lucioceps (California Lizardfish)
Description
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Characters
Body shape: elongated. Most species are brown to gray or red dorsally and laterally and pale ventrally; some species have a pattern of dusky saddles, lateral spots, or bars (Ref. 35938). Striking features: none.
Distribution
Eastern Pacific: San Francisco, USA to Cabo San Lucas and Guayamas, Mexico. Reported from British Columbia (Ref. 11980) and the Galapagos Islands (Ref. 5227).
Habitat Associations
Marine. reef-associated. depth range 1-229 m.
Biology
Perch motionless on pectoral fins in a wide range of habitats; commonly found on sandy bottoms or sand patches around rocky reefs and boulder and gravel strewn slopes. Active during the day. May bury in sand with only the eyes and mouth protruding (Ref. 5227). Feed on fishes (Ref. 9348). Oviparous, with planktonic eggs and larvae (Ref. 35938). Extended larval period (Ref. 35938). Catches are either discarded or made into fish meal (Ref. 9348).
Max length: 64.0 cm TL; common length: 30.0 cm TL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Oviparous (Ref. 35938). Also Ref. 240.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2007-05-24. Resilience: Medium (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: of no interest.
References
Eschmeyer, W.N., E.S. Herald and H. Hammann (1983) A field guide to Pacific coast fishes of North America. Boston (MA, USA): Houghton Mifflin Company. xii+336 p.
Humann, P. and N. DeLoach (1993) Reef fish identification. Galápagos. New World Publications, Inc., Florida. 267 p.
Bussing, W.A. and R.J. Lavenberg (1995) Synodontidae. Lagartos. p. 1625-1628. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para lo Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Oriental. 3 Vols. FAO, Rome.
Stevens, E.G. and H.G. Moser (1996) Synodontidae: lizardfishes. p. 348-351. In H.G. Moser (ed.) The early stages of fishes in the California Current region. California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) Atlas No. 33. 1505p.
Comments On Synodus lucioceps