General Information

COMMON NAMES: Variegated Lizardfish, Reef Lizardfish; German Riff-Eidechsenfisch; French Anoli Bigarré TRADITIONAL NAMES: Mokomoko / Moko Moe-one (RR), Karaea (MG TW), Kalaea (TS) GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE e.Africa - Ducie, Hawai‘i; n. to s.Japan; s. to n.NZ COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; Seen resting on hard substrates in moats, laoons and outer-reef slope. J.Randall notes that this is the most commonly seen lizardfish. PLUS: ; Marine, near-shore, Moats, lagoons and outer-reef slope KEY FEATURES: To 25cm SL. Pale, variegated, 5 red to brown bands, with 1-3 lateral marks between the bands. Two small teardrop-shaped black spots on snout, and 5.5 scales above lateral line. SIMILAR SPECIES: The Twospot Lizardfish (Synodus binatatus) is very similar but the nasal spots are small and round, and there are only 3.5scales above the lateral line.

Cook Islands Distribution

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

Northern Group: Present
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
	P				P

Synodus variegatus (Lacepède, 1803)
SYNONYMS: Salmo variegatus [O]

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); PISCES; OSTEICHTHYES; Aulopiformes; Alepisauroidei; SYNODONTIDAE

Vouchers:
Mangaia: Papera, around huge rock in lagoon 0m, CAS70493/ 1m CAS40088 (DSM58). Manihiki: specimen (10cm S.L.) from lagoon Sims, to BPBM, ID J.E.Randall (Sims EIA99). Suwarrow: specimen (14cm S.L.) from lagoon Sims, to BPBM, ID J.E.Randall (Sims EIA99).

References:
text p.63 Myers (1991 2nd Ed.) Fishes of Micronesia
plate 12d Myers (1991 2nd Ed.) Fishes of Micronesia
p.51 Randall et al. (1990) Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef....
p.72 Burgess et al. (1988) Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes (TFH)
plate 9-07 Lieske & Myers (1996) Coral Reef Fishes
plate 11-14 Allen (1997) Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia....
Species No. 88 Munro (1967) Fishes of New Guinea

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

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