92 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Genus 29. SYNODUS (Gronow) Bloch & Schneider. 
First superior pharyngeals cartilaginous; second without teeth; third and fourth separate, with 
teeth ; lower pharyngeals separate. Body elongate, subterete. Head depressed, snout triangular, rather 
pointed. Interorbital region transversely concave. Mouth very wide; premaxillaries not protractile, 
very long and strong, more than half length of head; maxillaries closely connected with them, very 
small or obsolete; premaxillaries with one or two series of large, compressed, knife-shaped teeth, the 
inner and larger depressible; palatine teeth similar, smaller, in a single broad band; lower jaw with a 
band of rather large teeth, the inner and larger teeth depressible; a patch of strong depressible teeth 
on tongue in front, and a long row along hyoid bone; jaws nearly equal in front. Eye rather large, 
anterior; supraorbital forming a projection above eye. Pseudobranchiae well developed. Gillrakers 
very small, spine-like. Gill-membranes slightly connected. Top of head naked; cheek and opercles 
scaled like body; body covered with rather small, adherent, cycloid scales; lateral line present; no 
luminous spots. Dorsal tin short, rather anterior; pectoral moderate, inserted high; ventrals anterior, 
not far behind pectoral, large, inner rays longer than outer; anal short; caudal narrow, forked. Vent 
posterior, much nearer base of caudal than axil of pectorals. Branchi os toga's 12 to 16. Stomach with 
a long, blind sac and many pyloric caeca. Skeleton rather firm. 
Voracious fishes of moderate size, inhabiting sandy bottoms at no great depth, in most warm seas. 
Species numerous; two known from Porto Rico. 
o. Scales large, 43 to 50 in lateral line, which has a blunt keel posteriorly. 
b. Tips of first rays of dorsal not reaching tips of last rays when depressed; snout short, broad; shoulder-girdle with 
a large black blotch, anal rays 10 or 11; scales 4-48-6 intermedins, 43 
bb. Tips of first rays of dorsal reaching tips of last rays when depressed. 
c. Shoulder-girdle with the black spot very small or wanting; snout rather pointed, 3.75 in head; ventrals 1.25 in head; 
anal rays 10 to 12 '. poeyi 
aa. Scales small, 58 to 68 in lateral line. 
d. Anal fin very short, its rays 8 only; pectoral fin short. 
e. Scales moderate, 58 in lateral line; snout 4 in head; shoulder-girdle slightly dusky; dorsal mottled synodus 
dd. Anal fin moderate, its rays 10 to 13; shoulder-girdle chiefly yellowish. 
/. Snout very broad, broader than long; about 10 scales in a cross series from dorsal to ventral; jaws subequal; scales 
4-60 to 64-5; tail with a slight keel saurus 
ff. Snout not broader than long; more than 10 scales in a cross series from dorsal to ventral; lower jaw included; tail 
not keeled. 
g. About. 4 rows of scales (6 counting obliquely) between lateral line and adipose fin; scales on cheek in 4 to 7 rows. 
h. Head vermiculate above, its length 4 to 4.25 in body; 7 rows of scales on cheek fcetens, 44 
43. Synodus intermedius (Agassiz). Sand Diver. 
Head 3.8; depth 7; eye 7; snout 3.8; premaxillary 1.6; mandible 1.4; interorbital 5.8; D. 11; A. 11; 
pectoral 2.1; ventral 1.1; caudal 1.7; scales 5-49-6. Body elongate, fusiform, slightly depressed, a slight 
keel on caudal peduncle; head rather blunt and heavy; scales behind eye, with tubes or muciferous 
canals; tips of first dorsal rays not reaching tips of last rays when depressed. Easily distinguishable 
from S. fcetens by the less slender body, heavier head, larger scales, and color markings. 
Color in spirits: Grayish, paler below, each row of scales with a pale longitudinal stripe, plainest 
on sides; about eight faint dark vertical bars, terminating at middle of side, a dark blotch between 
their ventral ends, plainest in the young; pectoral, caudal, and dorsal barred; shoulder-girdle with a 
black blotch near angle of opercle, which covers it. 
This species is generally common and ranges from southern Florida to Brazil. It is apparently 
the most abundant species of Synodus in Porto Rico, but of little value as food. Five examples, from 
7 to 12 inches in length, were collected at Puerto Real, Boqueron, and Culebra. 
Saurus intermedins Agassiz, in Spix, Piscium Brasil., 81, pi. XLIV, 1829, Brazil. 
Saurus anolis Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., XXII, 483, 1849, Bahia; Martinique. 
Synodus intermedius, Jordan & Evermann, l.c., 535, 1896. 
44. Synodus foetens (Linnaeus). Lizard-fish; Galliwasp; Lagarto; Soap-fish. 
Head 4; depth 8; eye 8; snout 3.4; premaxillary 1.6; mandible 1.4; interorbital 5.5; D. 10; A. 12; 
pectorals 2.1; ventral 1.3; caudal 1.8; scales 6-60-7. 
Body very slender, the caudal peduncle without trace of keel; interorbital space with radiating 
ridges, plainest in adult; opercles with 5 rows of scales, cheek with- 7 rows. 
