Synodontidae

noun

Chiefly marine; rarely brackish. Distribution: Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Supramaxilla small, if present. Branchiostegal rays 8-26. Vertebrae 39-67. Non-hermaphroditic, except in the monoecious Bathysaurus. Small cylindrical fishes with spineless fins and large mouth full of slender sharp teeth, even on tongue. Voracious predators of small fishes.

The family Synodontidae belongs to the Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) and the Order Aulopiformes. It contains 5 genera and 55 species. It may be found in Marine and Brackish environments and is primarily Marine. Members of this family are not used in the aquarium trade. Reproductively, most members of this family are nonguarders. The main mode of swimming of adult fish in this family is carangiform. Compared with other fish, the activity level of this family tends to be normal. Members of this family have been dated back to the Miocene epoch of the Tertiary period. Etymology of this family name: Greek, syn, sym = all together, united + Greek, odous = teeth