Orangemouth Lizardfish

The fish of the family Synodontidae are bottom-dwelling species widely found across tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters, ranging from the continental shelf to the upper continental slope. S. flamma can be found in deep reef habitats, particularly in areas where sandy channels or sandy pockets that are connected to rocky or coral ledges. S. flamma is known to inhabit the waters of the Hawaiian and Pitcairn Island, both located in the Pacific Ocean, with a distribution primarily concentrated in Hawaiian waters. Occurrences of S. flamma have also been documented on Mararison Island, Philippines, in 1995.

The information on lizardfish reproduction is very sparse. However, spawning behavior has been documented in Synodus ulae, a species within the same family. It was found that S. ulae perform dusk spawning where males and females of similar size display numerous courtship behaviors and release a cloud of gametes at dusk. There are no studies on age or growth on S. flamma. Consequently, studies on the age and growth of the Brushtooth lizardfish, a species within the same family, have been conducted in Taiwan and various other regions, utilizing different aging structures including otoliths, scales, vertebrae, and length-frequency analyses. Lizardfishes' are benthic predators. Once believed to occupy a mid-trophic position and rely on ambush predation, adult lizardfish are known to occupy high trophic positions as active hunters, preying on other predatory fish.