SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE OF FISHES. 139 



coasts of America, but only one ranging as far north as this state. {Synodus, an 

 ancient Greek name for some fish, meaning "teeth meeting".) 



117. SYNODUS FCETENS (Linnaeus). 

 "Pike"; "Sand Pike"; Lizard-fish. 



Salmo jostens Linnaeus, Systema Natures, ed. xii, 513, 1766; South Carolina. 



Synodus foetens, Jordan & Gilbert, 1879, 384; Beaufort Harbor. Jenkins, 1887, 86; Beaufort. Linton, 1905, 

 353; Beaufort. 



Diagnosis (based on specimen 12.5 inches long taken at Beaufort, November 1, 1904). — 

 Body elongate, cylindrical, its depth .14 length; headlong, depressed, lizard-like, .25 length of 

 body; eye placed high, its diameter contained 6 times in head and 2.5 times in snout; mouth 

 large and armed with numerous small, sharp, depressible teeth; snout long, sharp; premaxillary 

 2 times length of snout and equal to post-orbital part of head; scales in lateral series 63 to 65, 

 in transverse series 7 or 8 -^ 11 or 12; dorsal rays 12 (including 2 unbranched rays), the longest 

 .66 length of head; anal rays 12; caudal deeply forked; pectorals half length of head; ventrals 

 large, their length about equal to height of dorsal. Life colors: body and sides grayish, finely 

 mottled with brownish green, the centers of the scales being lighter than the edges; head brown- 

 ish with light vermiculations on top and sides, pale yellow below; about 8 very obscure dark 

 blotches along sides; belly white; dorsal nearly plain, anal white, caudal dusky with black mar- 

 gin, pectorals dusky greenish above and white below, ventrals pale yellowish, adipose fin white 

 anteriorly and black posteriorly, {fcetens, odorous.) 



Fig. 47. Lizard-fish. Synodus foetens. 



The lizard-fish is found on sandy shores from Massachusetts to South 

 America, and is common along the south Atlantic coast. It is abundant in the 

 North Carohna sounds, and is known locally as "pike" and "sand pike". At 

 Beaufort it is often caught in line fishing in the harbor. The fishermen fear the 

 lizard-fish's bite, which is said to "go to the bone". The fish rarely attains a 

 length of more than a foot, and the usual length is under 9 or 10 inches, but at 

 Beaufort it is reported that 2-foot specimens are sometimes caught. An exam- 

 ple less than 2 inches long was dredged at a depth of 9 fathoms 2 miles east of 

 Beaufort Inlet September 1, 1899, and another 2.25 inches long was seined in 

 in Beaufort Harbor June 3, 1905. The lizard-fish has a formidable mouth, and is 

 a voracious feeder; small fish constitute its principal food, but crabs, shrimp, 

 worms, and other animals are also eaten. As a food fish it has no value. 



Although Yarrow (1877) did not list this among the fishes of Beaufort 

 harbor, it is probable that his remarks regarding the saury {Scombresox saurus) 

 in reality apply to this fish. 



