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| Common names: lizardfish (English), garrobo (Espanol), lagarto (Espanol), chile (Espanol) |
Synodus lacertinus Gilbert, 1890
Calico lizardfish, Reef lizardfish, Banded lizardfish, Sauro lizardfish
Body moderately elongate, its depth 5.9-6.5 in SL; snout short, not protruding; eye large; lower jaw not ending in a fleshy knob; mouth large, slightly oblique, at front; many rows fine pointed teeth on jaws, tongue and (in 1 band) on side of roof of mouth; gill membrane under operculum with 15-18 rays; fins without spines; one dorsal fin in midbody, 11-12, with a small skin-flap fin behind it above anal fin, dorsal fin origin further from adipose fin than snout tip; anal fin 8-9 rays, its base shorter than base of dorsal fin; pelvics on abdomen behind pectoral base, with 8 rays, inner rays distinctly longer than outer rays; scales smooth; lateral-line scales 59-63; bases of rays of tail fin completely scaleless; lateral line straight, along entire body
Mottled brown to reddish on upper half, white below; back with about five brown or red saddle-like markings, these usually extending on to side as irregular bars; lower side with 10-12 red to brown blotches; dorsal and tail fins with narrow dark bars.
Size: grows to at least 20 cm.
A common inhabitant of sand-rubble near reefs.
Depth: areas near reefs in 1-156 m.
Southern California and the lower 2/3 of the Gulf of California to central Chile, the Revillagigedos, Galapagos, Cocos and Malpelo.