royal flagfin
Aulopus filamentosus
Lizardfish of the shelf and slope bottoms of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, usually between 100 and 200 m. It is commercially fished and almost never seen on the line.
Also called: peixe-lagarto-real, lagarto real, lagarto de hondura, royal flagfin
- maximum
- 44 cm
- depth
- 100–200 m
who is the royal flagfin
Fish of the family Aulopidae, up to 44 cm, with a common size near 30 cm. It lives on the bottom of the continental shelf and upper slope, usually between 100 and 200 m, and has been recorded down to a thousand meters. It occurs in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, in Cuba and Mexico, and also in the eastern Atlantic, from the Canary Islands to Senegal, with records in the Mediterranean. Like lizardfish in general, it is a predator of fish and crustaceans. It is commercially fished.
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 royal flagfin.
identification
Slender, elongated body with a large mouth and teeth, typical of lizardfish. The species name (filamentosus) refers to the long, thread-like rays of its fins, and some names for the species mention yellow fins. It lives on the shelf and slope bottom, and is not seen in shallow waters.
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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 Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, in Cuba and Mexico, on the continental shelf and slope. It also lives in the eastern Atlantic, from the Canary Islands to Senegal.
Habitat: Continental shelf and upper slope, usually 100 to 200 m deep.
rules for the royal flagfin
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.
No danger to anglers, but it has teeth in its mouth, so hold it carefully when removing the hook.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0055, b = 3.13; 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: Aulopus filamentosus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Aulopus filamentosusNames by country and language.