The Synodontidae or lizardfishes
[(or typical lizardfish to distinguish them from the Bathysauridae and Pseudotrichonotidae)] are
benthic
The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from ancient Greek, βένθος (bénthos), meaning "t ...
(bottom-dwelling) marine and estuarine bony fishes that belong to the
aulopiform fish order, a diverse group of marine ray-finned fish consisting of some 15 extant and several prehistoric families. They are found in tropical and subtropical marine waters throughout the world.
Lizardfishes are generally small, although the largest species measures about in length. They have slender, somewhat cylindrical bodies, and heads that superficially resemble those of
lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...
s. The
dorsal fin is located in the middle of the back, and accompanied by a small
adipose fin placed closer to the tail.
They have mouths full of sharp teeth, even on the tongue.
[
Lizardfishes are benthic animals that live in shallow coastal waters; even the deepest-dwelling species of lizardfish live in waters no more than deep. Some species in the subfamily ]Harpadontinae
The Harpadontinae are a subfamily of lizardfishes in the family Synodontidae.
It comprises two genera:
*''Harpadon
''Harpadon'' is a genus of bony fishes in the lizardfish family. The most famous member of this genus is the Bombay duck, ...
live in brackish estuaries. They prefer sandy environments, and typically have body colours that help to camouflage them in such environments.[
The larvae of lizardfishes are free-swimming. They are distinguished by the presence of black blotches in their guts, clearly visible through their transparent, scaleless skin.
]
Taxonomy
Three genera of the Synodontidae are known to inhabit the western Atlantic, including ''Synodus'', represented by six species, ''Saurida'', represented by four species, and ''Trachinocephalus'', represented by a single species.
See also
* Bombay duck
* Deepsea lizardfish
* USS ''Lizardfish'' (a US submarine)
Notes
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q854803
Ray-finned fish families
Taxa named by Theodore Gill