Lizardfish

Slender with textile-like pattern (Ref. 48635).

Occurs over soft bottoms of the continental shelf and inshore waters (Ref. 7300, 48635, 75154).

Synodus tectus

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Holotype: USNM 218935, SL 175 mm, Visayan Sea, PHILIPPINES, 41 fms, 5 Jun 1978, coll. L. Knapp. Paratypes: USNM 136223 (1), SL 83 mm, PHILIPPINES, Albatross, off Corregidor Light, 38 fms, 2 Jan 1908; USNM 217762 (2), 73–133 mm, SOUTH CHINA SEA, Macclesfield Bank, R/V Cape St. Mary, Sta 19, 76.8–80.5 m, 13 Jun 1964, coll. W. L. Chan; USNM 217763 (1), SL 90 mm, SOUTH CHINA SEA, Macclesfield Bank, R/V Cape St. Mary, Sta 51, 80.5–87.8 m, 18 Jun 1964, coll. W. L. Chan; USNM 217766 (1), SL 119 mm, Manila fish market, PHILIPPINES, 13 May 1969, coll. F. Schwartz; USNM 217767 (1), SL 93 mm, same data as above; USNM 217770 (2), SL 120 mm, Macclesfield Bank, SOUTH CHINA SEA, R/V Cape St. Mary, Sta 17, 69.6–80.5 m, 13 Jun 1964, coll. W. L. Chan; USNM 217774 (1), SL 131 mm, Macclesfield Bank, SOUTH CHINA SEA, R/V Cape St. Mary, Sta 20, 78.7–80.5 m, 13 Jun 1964, coll. W. L. Chan; USNM 218936 (1), SL 124 mm, Visayan Sea, PHILIPPINES, 26 fms, 4 Jun 1978, coll. L. Knapp; USNM 218952 (6), SL 111–126 mm, Visayan Sea, PHILIPPINES, 38 fms, 5 Jun 1978, coll. L. Knapp; AMS I.20218-001 (5), SL 76-84 mm, ARAFURA SEA, Alpha Helix, 30 fms, 16 Mar 1975, coll. J. Paxton; AMS I.20751-014 (6); 44-126 mm, SL 44-126 mm, Lizard Island, AUSTRALIA, 0–25 m, prawn trawl, 2 Aug 1979, coll. B. Russell; AMS I.20752-018 (1) SL 131 mm, same data as above.

DIAGNOSIS AND COMPARISONS.—A species of Synodus with the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin rays (branched and unbranched) 13–14 (usually 14); anal-fin rays 9–10 (usually 9); pored lateral-line scales 55-57 (usually 55); transverse scale rows 3.5/5; vertebrae 54–56 (usually 55); combined dorsal and anal procurrent rays 24–31; anterior palatine teeth longest and in a discrete group; peritoneal spots 10–11; posterior pelvic process wide; prominent pigment spot at upper distal corner of operculum. For comparisons see S. hoshinonis.

DESCRIPTION (holotype plus range).—Dorsal-fin rays 13 (13–14); anal-fin rays 9 (9–10); pectoral-fin pectoral-fin rays 12; pelvic-fin rays 8; procurrent rays 30 (24–31), dorsal 15 (13–16), anal 15 (11–15); lateral line continuous, 55 (55–57) pored scales; scale rows above lateral line from dorsal origin 3.5; scale rows below lateral line to anal origin 5; predorsal scales 13 (13–15); rows of cheek scales 5 (4–5); vertebrae 54 (54–56); peritoneal spots 11 (10–11).

Percentages of Standard Length: Mean (range): head length 28.6 (27.1–30.3); snout length 6.4 (5.4–7.1); upper jaw length 17.3 (16.0–18.0); diameter of bony orbit 6.7 (5.6–8.0); least width of bony interorbital 3.2 (2.9–3.3); snout to dorsal origin 41.9 (40.2–44.0); snout to adipose origin 84.7 (82.3–87.7); snout to anal origin 76.6 (73.6–78.9); snout to pelvic insertion 35.4 (33.6–37.2); snout to pectoral insertion 27.2 (25.3–29.2); first-dorsal-ray length 10.5 (8.7–12.1); longest-dorsal-ray length 14.3 (13.5–15.1); pectoral-fin length 12.3 (11.6–13.0); pelvic-fin length 22.9 (21.8–24.3); dorsal-fin base 16.1(14.7–18.0); anal-fin base 9.3(8.9–10.0); based on 7 specimens 92.9 to 172.8 mm SL.

Body fusiform, head somewhat depressed, caudal region a little compressed. Large cycloid scales on body, cheeks, and operculum, postoral portion of cheeks scaly. Snout sharply pointed, broader than long; the anterior nostril on each side bearing a short, rounded process barely reaching anterior margin of nares when depressed anteriorly. Interorbital space concave, occipital region bony. Palatine teeth in an elongate V-shaped pad, teeth pointing backwardly, those in front largest and in a discrete group. Lingual teeth well developed, those on free end of tongue largest and about 40 in number. Teeth caniniform, larger teeth with arrow-shaped tips. Pectoral fins reaching a line from base of pelvic fins to origin of dorsal fin. Outer pelvic ray unbranched and short, fifth branched ray (sixth ray) longest. Posterior bony process of pelvic girdle broad. Peritoneum pale.

COLOR PATTERN.—As in S. hoshinonis.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT.—Synodus tectus so far has only been collected from the western Pacific Ocean (South China Sea south to Great Barrier Reef). Depth of capture data for six collections indicate this species is found at moderate depths of 25 to 82 m (five collections over 50 m). The Queensland collection (Lizard Island) was made on a sand-weed bottom.

ETYMOLOGY.—The Latin tectus (disguised) alludes to its external similarity to S. hoshinonis.

分布於印度-西太平洋海域，西起紅海及莫三比克，東至阿達曼海，北至日本，南至新加勒多尼亞。臺灣僅少量分布於南部海域。

偶為底拖網或延繩釣捕獲，可食用。

體圓而瘦長，呈長圓柱形，尾柄兩側具稜脊。頭較短。吻圓，吻長明顯大於眼徑。眼中等大；脂性眼瞼發達。口裂大，上頜骨末端遠延伸至眼後方；頜骨具銳利之小齒；腭骨前方齒較後方齒長，明顯自成一叢。體被圓鱗，頭後背部、鰓蓋和頰部皆被鱗；側線鱗數55-56；側線上鱗數3.5(少數為4.5)。單一背鰭，具軟條14；有脂鰭；臀鰭與脂鰭相對，具軟條10；胸鰭短，末端不延伸至腹鰭起點與背鰭起點之連線；尾鰭叉形，上葉等長於下葉。體紅褐色，具約10條"T"字型之深色斑紋；鰓蓋後緣具黑斑。

主要棲息於沿近海靠近礁石之砂泥底質海域。屬肉食性，以小型魚類及甲殼類為主。通常在砂地上停滯不動，身上的花紋是很好的偽裝，有時會將整個身體埋入砂中而只露出眼睛，等候獵物游經時，躍起吞食。

Synodus tectus, the tectus lizardfish, is a species of lizardfish that lives mainly in the West Indo-Pacific Ocean.