Scientific Name
Synodus dermatogenys

Common Name
Sand lizardfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-13; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10. Body brownish above, with 7 irregular blackish bars (Ref. 11228). Cheek usually not scaled to preopercular margin; membranous flap on anterior nostrils long and slender; pectoral fins not reaching a line connecting origins of dorsal and pelvic fins.

Classification

Classified By

Fowler, 1912

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Grinners (Aulopiformes)

Family

Lizardfishes (Synodontidae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-Pacific

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea to the Hawaiian, Line, Marquesan, and Tuamoto islands, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to Lord Howe; including Micronesia (Ref. 2334). Range extend to Southeast Atlantic, Algoa Bay, South Africa (Ref. 11228). Most authors misidentified this species as Synodus variegatus (Lacep?de).

Range

30°N - 32°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

97 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 97 m (Ref. 58302)

Trophic Level

4.2 s.e. 0.73 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

24.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Unknown

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (16 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated