Scientific Name
Synodus lucioceps

Common Name
California lizardfish

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 (Ref. 35938).

Classification

Classified By

Ayres, 1855

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Grinners (Aulopiformes)

Family

Lizardfishes (Synodontidae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Pacific

Distribution

Eastern Pacific: San Francisco, USA to Cabo San Lucas and Guayamas, Mexico. Reported from British Columbia (Ref. 11980) and the Galapagos Islands (Ref. 5227).

Range

38°N - 22°N

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

229 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 229 m (Ref. 2850), usually 2 - 50 m (Ref. 9348)

Trophic Level

4.5 s.e. 0.80 Based on food items.

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

64.0 cm

Common Length

30.0 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

Fisheries: of no interest

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (33 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)