California lizardfish (Synodus lucioceps)

Scientific name: Synodus lucioceps Ayres, 1855

The California lizardfish (Synodus lucioceps) is a marine fish of the family Synodontidae. Native range: Eastern Pacific, San Francisco, USA to Cabo San Lucas and Guayamas, Mexico. Reported from British Columbia and the Galapagos Islands.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-13; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 12 - 15; Vertebrae: 60 - 63. 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.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Synodus lucioceps
Family: Synodontidae (Lizardfishes)
Order: Aulopiformes (Grinners)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 64.0
Common length: 30.0
Depth range: 1–229 m (3–751 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 229 m, usually 2 - 50 m
Climate: Subtropical
Distribution: Eastern Pacific: San Francisco, USA to Cabo San Lucas and Guayamas, Mexico. Reported from British Columbia and the Galapagos Islands.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: of no interest
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026