First record of the diamond lizardfish Synodus synodus (Linnaeus, 1758) in the coastal water of Lebanon

Marine and Life Sciences 2026 Open access

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Authors: Ali Farhat, Myriam Lteif, Anthony Ouba, Myriam Ghsoub, Céline Mahfouz, Milad Fakhri, Coşkun Menderes Aydın, Sharif Jemaa
DOI: 10.51756/marlife.1768595
Cited by: 0
References: 14

Abstract

The diamond lizardfish Synodus synodus (Linnaeus, 1758) is a species with a seemingly scattered and poorly documented distribution in the Mediterranean Sea. Here, we report the first occurrence of S. synodus in Lebanon, and expand its distribution to the Lebanese waters, based on the examination of two specimens collected from the northern coast of Lebanon. Specimens were identified through detailed morphological and meristic analyses, and taxonomic descriptions were established. Although a discrepancy in pectoral-fin length was observed when compared with some published descriptions, similar variation has been documented in recently confirmed Maltese specimens.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Fish Biology and Ecology Studies Ichthyology and Marine Biology Marine and fisheries research

Publication details

Journal / source
Marine and Life Sciences
Volume
8
Issue
1
Pages
1–6
Publication date
13 January 2026
Language
EN