taxonID	type	description	language	source
440EC5995E6A51A08A9B1262C8599C72.taxon	description	Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, Table 1 New English name: Autumn Lizardfish; new standard Japanese name: Iroha-eso	en	Furuhashi, Ryusei, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2025): Synodus autumnus, a new species of lizardfish (Aulopiformes, Synodontidae) from the Indo-Pacific region, and a reassessment of distributional records of Synodus rubromarmoratus. ZooKeys 1243: 191-206, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1243.147259
440EC5995E6A51A08A9B1262C8599C72.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. A new species of Synodus with the following combination of characters: Dorsal-fin rays 11 – 13; anal-fin rays 8 – 10; lateral-line scales 49 – 51; scale rows above lateral line 3.5; scale rows below lateral line 4.5; vertebrae 49 – 52; anterior gill rakers 22 – 29; peritoneal spots 0 – 5; anterior palatine teeth in a discrete group, longer than posterior palatine teeth; ANF long and broad, leaf-like, extending above and behind posterior margin of posterior nostril when laid back; posterior process of pelvic girdle wide; posterior part of preopercle scaled; body with 5 reddish saddle-like blotches; lateral surface below lateral line with a straight row of brown blotches when fresh.	en	Furuhashi, Ryusei, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2025): Synodus autumnus, a new species of lizardfish (Aulopiformes, Synodontidae) from the Indo-Pacific region, and a reassessment of distributional records of Synodus rubromarmoratus. ZooKeys 1243: 191-206, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1243.147259
440EC5995E6A51A08A9B1262C8599C72.taxon	description	Description. Data for holotype presented first, followed by paratype data in parentheses (if different). Counts and measurements in Table 1. Characters given in diagnosis not repeated. Body elongate, cylindrical, body depth greatest at pelvic-fin origin. Scales moderately large, cycloid, not deciduous, present on cheek and opercle. Cheek fully scaled, 5 (4 – 7) vertical scale rows, becoming progressively smaller posteriorly. Pre-dorsal-fin scales not reaching a vertical line of posterior edge of orbit. No scales on dorsal, anal, adipose, and paired fins. Caudal fin with large, pointed scales on each lobe, not reaching margin of fin fork. Procurrent caudal-fin rays without scale covering. Snout moderately pointed in dorsal view. Two nostrils, about equal size, close to each other, located on a line connecting anteriormost margin of orbit and snout tip, close to front of orbit, anterior nostril with a dermal flap on posterior margin. Posterior nostril moderately narrow, almost directly behind anterior nostril. Internarial distance about equal to posterior nostril diameter. Eye circular, directed laterally. Interorbital region broad, with slight V-shaped concavity in front view. Mouth large, terminal, slightly oblique, gape almost reaching posterior margin of preopercle. Teeth on both jaws numerous, small, needle-like, generally two rows on upper jaw and three rows on lower jaw, outer teeth smaller, inner teeth longer, covered by lip, tip of upper jaw teeth visible, base of jaw teeth hidden when mouth closed. Palatine teeth in 2 rows anteriorly, 2 (2 or 3) posteriorly, outer row teeth long, tooth rows close together anteriorly but slightly separated. Vomerine teeth absent. Tongue short, spatulate, fleshy, with about 33 (29 – 50) posteriorly depressible teeth, forming a rectangular teeth patch, 5 (5 or 6) rows on posterior region. Lower-jaw length similar to upper jaw, its anterior end fitting into groove between teeth on upper-jaw tip. Gill rakers very small, unobtrusive, plate-like, with numerous tooth-like spines. Dorsal-fin origin just behind to midpoint between snout and adipose-fin origin, dorsal-fin base longer than anal-fin base, first and second rays unbranched, second (second or third) ray longest, posterior rays gradually shorter. Adipose fin small, above midpoint of anal-fin base. Anal fin short, posteriormost ray branched to base, others unbranched, third (second or third) ray longest, remaining rays subequal. Anus just anterior to anal-fin origin. Pectoral and pelvic fins with moderately long axillary scales at bases. Pectoral fin rounded, extending beyond P – D line, uppermost ray unbranched. Pelvic fin longer than pectoral fin, sixth ray longest, innermost (eighth) ray distinctly longer than outermost (first) ray. Caudal fin forked, lobes moderately pointed, dimensions of upper and lower lobes symmetrical. Color in fresh specimens (Figs 1, 2). Body above lateral line orangish-brown (orangish or yellowish-brown), below white. Five brown blotches along lateral line connecting to reddish saddle-like blotches edged blueish-white. Blotch above pectoral-fin base indistinct. A row of distinct brown blotches and two rows of white blotches on ventrolateral surface. Head red above maxilla, dark brown (dark brown or yellowish-green) below lower jaw. Snout tip with (with or without) a pair of dark spots. Iris orangish-red (orangish-red or yellowish-orange). All fins with reddish bars, membrane uniformly translucent. Color in preserved specimens (Fig. 3). Most fresh colors lost. Body pale, except dorsum. Dorsal surface dark, areas of saddle-like blotches (when fresh) white. Lower jaw with (with or without) black pigmentation. Snout tip with (with or without) a pair of dark spots. All fins unpigmented. Peritoneum pale.	en	Furuhashi, Ryusei, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2025): Synodus autumnus, a new species of lizardfish (Aulopiformes, Synodontidae) from the Indo-Pacific region, and a reassessment of distributional records of Synodus rubromarmoratus. ZooKeys 1243: 191-206, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1243.147259
440EC5995E6A51A08A9B1262C8599C72.taxon	distribution	Distribution and habitat. Synodus autumnus sp. nov. is widely distributed in the eastern Indian and Pacific oceans, from Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Palau, the Marshall Islands, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Tonga, and the Hawaiian Islands (Fig. 4). It inhabits inshore areas with coral or rocky reefs and boulders, at depths of 1 – 33 m (Fig. 5).	en	Furuhashi, Ryusei, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2025): Synodus autumnus, a new species of lizardfish (Aulopiformes, Synodontidae) from the Indo-Pacific region, and a reassessment of distributional records of Synodus rubromarmoratus. ZooKeys 1243: 191-206, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1243.147259
440EC5995E6A51A08A9B1262C8599C72.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Scientific and English names of the new species are derived from its body color, which is reminiscent of shrub and tree colors that change in autumn. “ Iroha ” means the leaves of plants that change color in autumn.	en	Furuhashi, Ryusei, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2025): Synodus autumnus, a new species of lizardfish (Aulopiformes, Synodontidae) from the Indo-Pacific region, and a reassessment of distributional records of Synodus rubromarmoratus. ZooKeys 1243: 191-206, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1243.147259
