Description:
Inshore lizardfish are elongate, cigar-shaped fishes that grow to 16 inches in length.  The snout is pointed and the mouth is large and wide, with the upper jaw extending beyond the eye.  There are many needle-like teeth in the jaws, as well as on the roof of the mouth and the tongue.  Pelvic fins are set abdominally.  Body color is typically shades of brown to olive dorsally, yellow to white ventrally.  Young fish have sides that are darkly mottled;  these blotches fade in older fishes.  An adipose fin is present and bears a darker spot.  There are 60 scales along the lateral line.   

Habitat:
Inshore lizardfishes are a bottom-dwelling species that inhabits nearshore waters over sand and mud to depths of approximately 15 fathoms.  They inhabit inlet areas of the Indian River Lagoon.

Range:
Inshore lizardfishes range from Massachusetts south to Brazil, including Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico, West Indies and the Caribbean.  They are only occasionally found north of South Carolina.