Saurida undosquamis Species Gallery (0020)

Scientific Name:

Saurida undosquamis

Common Name:

Brushtooth lizardfish

Taxonomic Group:

Fishes

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Information

Key Identifying Features

This small bottom-dwelling fish has a slender cylindrical body, a cigar-like head and a large mouth with long jaws and dense rows of sharp slender teeth, even on its tongue. It reaches a length of up to 50 cm, normally 15–35 cm.

It has a single, short-based dorsal fin with 11–12 soft rays, and a small, rayless (adipose) fin near the tail. The anal fin has 11–12 soft rays, and the tail fin is forked.

Dorsal colour is brown-beige with a silvery white belly. A distinguishing feature is a series of dark spots on the first dorsal fin ray and the upper edge of the tail fin. The body sometimes has 8–10 dark spots along the lateral line.

Identification and Habitat

This lizardfish lives on sandy or muddy bottoms of coastal waters down to depths of 100 m, usually between 30–70 m. It feeds mainly on bottom-living invertebrates and fishes (anchovy and striped mullet Mullus surmuletus, and also non-indigenous fish species from the Red Sea, such as Equulites klunzigeri, young Saurida undosquamis, and Siganus spp.).

Reproduction

In the Mediterranean, the spawning season extends over 12 months of the year with peaks from April to December (April to September in the Levantine Sea).

Similar Species Description

The shape and the habits of the brushtooth lizardfish are very similar to those of the native Mediterranean lizardfish, Synodus saurus. Saurida undosquamis, however, has a more slender body and a characteristic series of dark spots on the first dorsal ray and upper edge of the tail fin. Synodus saurus lacks these dark spots on the tail fin, has pelvic fins with inner rays that are much longer than the outer ones, and has a single band of teeth on the palatines rather than two.

Similar Species

Scientific Name: Siganus rivulatus

Common Name: Marbled spinefoot

Taxonomic Group: Fishes

History and Route of Introduction

This is an Indo-West Pacific Ocean species, including the Red Sea. In the Mediterranean, it was recorded first in Israel in 1952 and subsequently in Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, Libya, Crete, Egypt, Albania and Croatia. This species is now very common throughout the eastern basin and it has also appeared recently in Italian waters (Cape Peloro, Strait of Messina).

Ecological Impacts

The brushtooth lizardfish is a voracious predator. The native and the non-indigenous lizardfish species occupy different, depth-related habitats; however, interaction and competition between the two for the same prey fish may be possible. High densities of the non-indigenous S. undosquamis could therefore displace the native species (S. saurus). Adults could furthermore compete with other native piscivorous species by exploiting local resources faster.

Economic Impacts

The brushtooth lizardfish is now an important commercial fish in the eastern Mediterranean, where it is caught by trawlers in large quantities. A sudden increase in brushtooth lizardfish catch came at the expense of certain economically important native species, such as the hake Merluccius merluccius and the lizardfish Synodus saurus, along some Mediterranean coasts.

Management Options

These include a) early eradication of new populations by MPA technicians through hand or spear fishing, and b) maintenance of healthy and abundant assemblages of top predators to encourage natural control through predation.