shorthead lizardfish
Synodus scituliceps
Lizardfish very common on the soft bottoms of the eastern Pacific, reaching 51 cm and weighing up to 808 g. It is mainly taken in commercial fishing.
Also called: peixe-lagarto-de-cabeça-curta, lagarto, huavina, Shorthead lizardfish
- maximum
- 51 cm
- record/max.
- 0.8 kg
- depth
- 2–30 m
who is the shorthead lizardfish
The family Synodontidae includes the lizardfishes, which have elongated bodies, flattened heads and sharp teeth. This species reaches 51 cm and weighs up to 808 g, and occurs in the eastern Pacific, from Mexico to Chile, including Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and the Galápagos. It lives on soft bottoms, from 2 to 30 m, where it is very common. Like other lizardfishes, it is a predator. It is taken in commercial fishing but is not sought by sport anglers.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the shorthead lizardfish.
identification
Elongated, almost cylindrical body, with a flattened, lizard-like head and a large mouth full of fine, pointed teeth. The head is short, which gives the species its name. It has a small adipose fin behind the dorsal fin, as other lizardfishes do. It lives on soft bottoms.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Occurs in the eastern Pacific, from Cabo San Lucas and Mazatlán, in Mexico, to Chile and the Galápagos, on soft bottoms. There are no records off the Brazilian coast.
Habitat: Soft bottoms, 2 to 30 m.
rules for the shorthead lizardfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Harmless to anglers. It has sharp teeth: hold it carefully and use pliers to remove the hook.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00447, b = 3.08; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Synodus scituliceps (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Synodus scitulicepsNames by country and language.