Cook Islands Biodiversity Database

Species Page

Back to: «« Search Page | « Results Page

Add to My List

Synodus binotatus

Mokomoko

Twospot Lizardfish

Multimedia & Additional Resources

Type	Description	Download
Image:	Adult	44KB

General Information

COMMON NAMES: Twospot Lizardfish, Spotnose Lizardfish; French Anoli à Deux Tache

TRADITIONAL NAMES: Mokomoko / Moko Moe-one (RR)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE e.Africa - Tuamotus, Hawai‘i; n. to s.Japan; s. to New Caledonia

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; S.Group PLUS:; Marine, near-shore

KEY FEATURES: To 15cm SL. Pale, variegated, 5 red to brown bands, with 1-3 lateral marks between the bands. Two small black spots on snout, and 3.5 scales above lateral line.

SIMILAR SPECIES: See under Variegated Lizardfish (Synodus variegatus).

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present Makatea:
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
P

Northern Group: Present
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
					P

Key to Symbols

blank	no data
-	absent	L	localised
X	extinct 'naturally'	W	widespread
XQi	quarantine intercepted	R	recent
XQe	eradicated	?	query preceding category
P	present	T?	taxonomic query
S	seasonal	nn	present, said to have no name
O	occasional	?1	present, name not investigated
++++	very common	?2	presence not verified, no name recorded
+++	common	N/A	absent, name not expected
++	uncommon
+	rare
Cook Islands islands: RR =Rarotonga, MG = Mangaia, AT =‘Ātiu, MK=Ma‘uke, MT=Miti‘āro, AK=Aitutaki, PL=Palmerston, PN=Penrhyn, MN=Manuae, TK=Takūtea, TN=Tongareva (TS=Tongaleva Spoken, TW=Tongareva Written, they say "el" but write "r"), MH=Manihiki, RK=Rakahanga, PK=Pukapuka, NS=Nassau, SW=Suwarrow. After a Polynesian name: ^=orthography query. Countries and other: FIJ=Fiji, WT=Wallis & Futuna, SAM=Samoa, TON=Tonga, NIU=Niue, CK=Cook Islands, CKM=Cook Islands Māori, FP=French Polynesia, AUS=Australs, SOC=Societies, TAH=Tahiti, TUA=Tuamotus, MQS=Marquesas, MNG=Mangareva, PIT=Pitcain group, EAS=Easter Island, HAW=Hawai‘i, NZ=New Zealand, NZM=New Zealand Māori

Scientific Taxonomy

Synodus binotatus Schultz, 1953
TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); PISCES; OSTEICHTHYES; Aulopiformes; Alepisauroidei; SYNODONTIDAE

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: Photo J.Stoffers, 6/99, ID GMc/FS.

References:
text p.63 Myers (1991 2nd Ed.) Fishes of Micronesia
plate 12c Myers (1991 2nd Ed.) Fishes of Micronesia
p.49 Randall et al. (1990) Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef....
plate 9-8 Lieske & Myers (1996) Coral Reef Fishes

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org.
Please refer to our use policy.

Biodiversity Database: More Options | Help

My List: View List | Edit List | Clear List