Species: Saurida brasiliensis, Brazilian Lizardfish, Largescale Lizardfish

Saurida brasiliensis Norman, 1935

Largescale Lizardfish, Brazilian Lizardfish

Body slender, elongate, cylindrical; head pointed; eye large; snout about as long as eye; mouth large, slightly oblique, at front, lower jaw longer than upper jaw, visible from above when mouth is closed; many rows fine pointed teeth on jaws, tongue and (in 2 bands) on side of roof of mouth; fins without spines; one dorsal fin in mid-body, with a small skin-flap fin behind it above anal fin; pelvics on abdomen behind pectoral base, with 9 rays, inner rays about same length as outer rays; scales smooth; lateral line straight, along entire body; tail fin with scales on bases of main rays but not on short rays on top and bottom of fin base; 43-47 lateral line scales; 3 rows of scales between lateral line and dorsal fin.

Upper body brown, with several indistinct dark saddles; dorsal fin with a dark stripe in from outer margin; juveniles with 10 large black spots on lower side and an elongate black blotch at upper corner of operculum.

Reaches 17 cm.

Lives on offshore softbottoms.

Depth range: 10-613 m.

N Carolina to S Brazil; also off W Africa.