Species: Synodus macrostigmus, Largespot Lizardfish
snout blunt

black shoulder patch: large oval
Synodus macrostigmus Frable et al, 2013
Largespot Lizardfish
Body relatively robust; snout long, blunt when viewed from above, longer than eye; eye relatively large (20.8 (16.7-24.7%) headlength); width between eyes 9.5-15.3% head; flap on front nostril large, leaf-shaped, long, (3.8 (2.7-4.9%) headlength), tapering, extends past rear nostril when depressed; mouth large, extending well past eye; lower jaw rounded at front, without fleshy knob at tip; 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 in mid-body, with a small skin-flap fin behind it above anal fin; dorsal fin 11-12, fairly low, front rays of fin don’t extend beyond back rays when fin is laid down; anal 11, length of anal fin base < than dorsal fin base; pectoral fin 11-12; pelvics on abdomen behind pectoral base, 8 rays, inner rays distinctly longer than outer rays; 45-48 scales on lateral line; scales before dorsal fin 12-13; scales between the lateral line and dorsal fin base 3.5; bases of short rays at top and bottom of tail fin completely scaleless.
Body with 6-8 brown bars, some like wide Xs that reach up to the top of the back; thin orange-yellow lines along upper body; groove above top jaw black from under eye backwards; black blotch on shoulder at top corner of gill cover oval, large (14.2-19% head); pelvic fins bright yellow; anal fin yellow; tail fin with notch of fork & rear of lower lobe dark grey to brown, upper lobe pale, with thin rear dark edge, 2-3 short brown bars on the short rays at its base.
Size: 25.6 cm.
Habitat: sand & mud bottoms.
Depth: 28-194 m.
South Carolina to the Gulf of Mexico.

High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Bottom only
- Habitat
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- Sand & gravel
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Soft bottom only
- Mud
- FishBase Habitat
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- Demersal
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
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- Data
- Bony fishes
- Egg Type
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- Data
- No pelagic phase
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- All species
- Greater Caribbean endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Continent
- Continent only
- Extends North of GC
- GC endemic
- All species
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 25.6
- Depth Range Min
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- 28
- Depth Range Max
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- 194