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Bony fish

Atlantic Lizardfish

Synodus saurus

Also known as: Bluestripe Lizardfish, Blue-striped Lizard, Blue-striped Lizardfish, Royal Flagfin, Sand Lizardfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2010
Add a photo
Adult
1
@SailingBenH · ES, Spain · November 20151 / 6
01

Overview

Found singly or in pairs, half buried or resting on rock and sandy bottoms, in shallow to very deep waters.

Lizardfish are experts at camouflage, they lie in wait for their prey lying on top of the sand or buried with just their heads showing. Their jaws have one or more lines of needle-like teeth.
They grab their victims with lightening speed often taking quite large prey.

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Pattern
blotchesblue spotsblue stripespotsstripes
Behaviour
ambush predatorburies in sandcamouflagedhead showingpairssolitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean, Eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean
  • Exact location · 1
  • Country only · 5
LIVES IN

Found singly or in pairs, half buried or resting on rock and sandy bottoms, in shallow to very deep waters.

RANGE
04

Adult photos 6

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderAulopiformes
    5. familySynodontidae
    6. genusSynodus
    7. speciesSynodus saurus (Linnaeus, 1758)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

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    Clearfin Lizardfish

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    Indian Lizardfish

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    Synodus jaculum

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    Offshore Lizardfish

    Synodus poeyi

    2 photos

    Redmarbled Lizardfish

    Synodus rubromarmoratus

    2 photos

    Sand Diver

    Synodus intermedius

    20 photos

    Sauro Lizardfish

    Synodus lacertinus

    2 photos

    Shortfin Lizardfish

    Saurida micropectoralis

    4 photos

    Shortjaw Lizardfish

    Saurida normani

    1 photo