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Species: Synodus bondi, Sharpnose Lizardfish

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

snout > eye, sharp point
eye seems small
nostril flap: narrow, filament
flank 6-8 dark marks, rows pale spots
LL 57-60
pectoral tip not/just to pelvic base
A 10-11, base < D1 base
23-25 scales before D
5.5-6.5 scales - LL to D

Synodus bondi Fowler, 1939

Sharpnose Lizardfish

Body relatively slender; snout triangular & sharply pointed, > eye, and long (29 (26.3-37.2)% headlength); flap on front nostril narrow & tapering to a filament; adipose lids around eye relatively wide, eye appears relatively small; mouth large, extending well past eye, top jaw 62.9 (58-70.1%) headlength; many rows of fine pointed teeth on jaws, tongue and (in 1 band) on side of roof of mouth; fins without spines; one dorsal fin 11-12 in midbody, with a small skin-flap fin behind it above anal fin; pectorals 12-14, not reaching origin of pelvic fin; anal 10-11 (10-12) rays; length of anal fin base usually less than dorsal fin base; pelvics on abdomen behind pectoral base, 8 rays, inner rays distinctly longer than outer rays; 23-25 scales before dorsal fin on nape; 60 (57-60) lateral line scales; 5.5-6.5 scales between dorsal fin and lateral line; bases of short rays at top and bottom of tail fin completely scaleless.

Pale grey-brown; 6-8 indistinct dark marks, often with pale centers, along center of flank; rows of pale spots along upper side of body; often indistinct dark saddles across top of back; end of top of tail base with a dark spot; tail fin with dark rear edge and often dark lower lobe. Young: 6 -8 black Xs along side of belly before anal fin.

Size: 32 cm.

Habitat: On mud and sand bottoms, including shallow inshore areas and off beaches.

Depth: 1-208 m.

The central Caribbean to southern Brazil.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Brackish
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Bottom only
Habitat
  • Sand & gravel
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Soft bottom only
  • Estuary
  • Mud
  • Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Demersal
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Bony fishes
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • West Atlantic Endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Also in Brazil
  • Continent
  • Continent + Island (s)
  • Continental primarily
  • Extends South of GC
  • GC non-endemic
  • Island (s)
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 32
Depth Range Min
  • 1
Depth Range Max
  • 208