Identifying New World Lizard Fish
The lizard fish is quite a unique animal that only inhabits the coast of California. The entire body moves from a grayish green color on the back to a light white on the sides. It typically has a flat dorsal fin on top which may be rounded or pointed, and a very small adipose fin at the bottom. It also has black lines on its head, neck, belly, and gill covers.
The lizard fish belongs to the Balaenodontidae family, a large and diverse group of cephalopods. They are omnivorous bottom-feeders, which feed on small fish, mollusks, snails, crayfish and other crustaceans. In the wild they prefer rocky bottoms as their preferred feeding ground, but in captivity they will accept a variety of shallow and sand substrate. Their bodies are covered with a hard coating of armor called bristles, and they are also capable of producing a special type of chirping call. The lizard fish generally stays out at the bottom of the body of water where it waits for prey to come by.
Most inshore lizardfish go through molting, which is the process of shedding their old skin and growing a new one. During this process they become smaller, because they are losing mass and water weight. This is why you sometimes see them hanging around the shores waiting for schoolmates to come by. The youngsters tend to stay on the shore where they get the attention of larger fish.
One of the most recognizable features of the inshore lizardfish is its triangular head with two pointed ears and a short dorsal fin. Its name was derived from the shape of the head, and since they do have a very distinct head shape they are sometimes called ‘shiner fish’. These are commonly seen with small schools of bait fish, like crappie, small perch, catfish, and Roach. They also make a great snack for fisherman who like to catch bluegill or other types of fish whose scales are more rounded than those of the catfish.
When looking at an inshore lizardfish, you will notice that its dorsal fin extends straight down into the body. Their tail is short like that of the small fish, but it also has a long hook above the dorsal fin. Their scales look somewhat flattened like that of the small fish, but they have a long cylindrical body, as well as a tail that thrill when they leap and flop. Their upper parts are black, while lower parts are white. Their underside is white.
The June Fish is probably one of the two most popular freshwater fish in the United States. They are found in the Mississippi river and in smaller streams and creeks around lakes in the southern states. The name “junior June Fish” was given to these fish because they resemble the small and shallow emerald colored minnows commonly found in shallow water during the springtime. They are similar in size to largemouth bass, but they are less visible beneath the surface.
One of the most distinguishing features of the deep-sea lizard fish are its large mouth with rows of razor sharp teeth. The word “arp”; from which the name is derived, comes from the gular pouch, or stomach pouch, which these fish have. The raspberries are situated in the rear part of this area, along the belly-button region. Raspberries are the source of their prey, which they capture by biting the tail of a fish or sucking on a leaf. Their teeth are capable of ripping through flesh, and since they have relatively few teeth compared to other species, they have evolved to tear their prey apart using their chewing mouth parts only. It is believed that the raspberries, which are located in the center of the fishes mouth, help the fish to locate their prey.
The scientific name of this type of fish also has an interesting origin story. The name lizardfish comes from the Greek words: “laikos” meaning “limb” and “tribes” meaning “army.” This may refer to the fact that the most dominant predator in the ecosystem (the kind of fish that feeds on small fish, such as anchovies and sardines) is the Sargasso sea lizardfish, which has a large number of powerful and sharp preformed bite strikes. In general, these lizardfish are known for their strong jaws and the way in which they hold their prey (the cylindrical body of the fish).