The Syngnathidae is a family of fish which includes seahorses, pipefishes, and seadragons. The name is derived from Ancient Greek: σύν, meaning "together", and γνάθος, meaning "jaw". The fused jaw is one of the traits that the entire family have in common.
Pipefishes or pipe-fishes (Syngnathinae) are a subfamily of small fishes, which, together with the seahorses and seadragons, form the family Syngnathidae.
The Syngnathiformes are an order of ray-finned fishes that includes the trumpetfishes and seahorses.
Solenostomus, also known as the ghost pipefishes, false pipefishes or tubemouth fishes, is a genus of fishes in the order Syngnathiformes. Solenostomus is the only genus in the family Solenostomidae, and includes six currently recognized species. Ghost pipefishes are related to pipefishes and seahorses. They are found in tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific.
The greater pipefish is a pipefish of the family Syngnathidae. It is a seawater fish and the type species of the genus Syngnathus.
Doryrhamphus and Dunckerocampus, popularly known as flagtail pipefish, are two genera of fishes in the family Syngnathidae. They are found in warm, relatively shallow waters of the Indo-Pacific, with a single species, D. paulus, in the eastern Pacific. Most of these pipefishes are very colourful, and are fairly popular in the marine aquarium hobby despite requiring special care and not being recommended for beginners.
The ornate ghost pipefish or harlequin ghost pipefish, Solenostomus paradoxus, is a false pipefish of the family Solenostomidae. The species name comes from the Greek paradoxos, referring to this fish's unusual external features. Ornate ghost pipefish are found in the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean along reef edges prone to strong currents from the Red Sea to Tonga. They reach a maximum length of 12 cm. They vary in color from red or yellow to black and are almost transparent. Although relatively common, ornate ghost pipefish are very well-camouflaged and difficult to find. It occurs either as solitary individuals or in pairs, among the branches of gorgonians, in floating weeds, or crinoids where the feed on mysids and small benthic shrimp.
Doryrhamphus janssi, commonly known as the Janss' pipefish , is a species of pipefish belonging to the family Syngnathidae.
The chain pipefish is a pipefish species. It inhabits the western Atlantic from Virginia, Bermuda and northern Gulf of Mexico to Campeche and Jamaica, but is absent from the Bahamas. It is a marine subtropical reef-associated fish, up to 38 cm length.
The high-body pipefish is a pipefish in the family Syngnathidae. These demersal fish are widespread in New Zealand and the Auckland Islands. It can be found in the vicinity of piers and wharves down to offshore depths of 62–120 metres (203–394 ft). They have been recorded from substrates consisting of bryozoan and coarse shell. The juveniles have been collected in surface plankton tows. They are ovoviviparous and the male bears the eggs in a brood pouch which is on the ventral side of the tail. Gravid males have been recorded from standard lengths of 9.95 centimetres (3.92 in).
Leptoichthys fistularius, the brush-tailed pipefish, is a species of pipefish of the family Syngnathidae, found in shallow to intermediate depths off the coast of southern Australia, usually in seagrass beds. This species is the largest known species of pipefish, growing to a maximum of 63 cm (25 in) in length. Like other pipefishes, the male carries the fertilized eggs in a pouch under his tail until they hatch. The genus name comes from the Greek leptos meaning "thin" and ichthys meaning "fish", the specific name refers to the resemblance of the head of this species to that of the fluteheads or cornetfishes of the family Fistulariidae.
The robust ghost pipefish, also known as the blue-finned ghost pipefish, Racek's ghost pipefish, robust-snouted ghost pipefish or the squaretail ghost-pipefish, is a species of false pipefishes belonging to the family Solenostomidae.
The deepbody pipefish is a species of pipefish endemic to Australia where it is only found along the southern coast. This species grows to a length of 12.9 centimetres (5.1 in) SL. This species is the only known member of the monotypic genus Kaupus which is named in honour of the ichthyologist Johann Jakob Kaup (1803-1873).
The Halimeda ghost pipefish, Solenostomus halimeda, is a species of false pipefishes belonging to the family Solenostomidae.
Doryichthys boaja is a species of freshwater fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is widely distributed in Southeast Asia, found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It lives in streams and rivers, where it feeds on small crustaceans, worms and insects. It can grow to a maximum length of 41 cm, making it the largest recorded freshwater pipefish. This species is ovoviviparous, with the male carrying eggs before giving birth to live young.
The beady pipefish is a species of pipefish of the family Syngnathidae. It is found in the Indo-West Pacific, from the western Persian Gulf, to the north central Indian Ocean, to Japan and Australia. It lives in the lower parts of streams and rivers, estuarine habitats such as seagrass beds and mangroves, and shallow inshore habitats, where it can grow to lengths of 16–18 centimetres (6.3–7.1 in). It is expected to feed on small crustaceans, similar to other pipefish. This species is ovoviviparous, with males carrying eggs in a brood pouch before giving birth to live young. Average brood size is 177.
Syngnathoidea is a superfamily of the pipefish order Syngnathiformes. It is divided into two families – the speciose pipefish Syngnathidae, which includes the sea horses and the ghost pipefish, Solenostomidae, which has just five species. The superfamily occurs worldwide in tropical, subtropical and temperate seas, especially in coastal waters around rock and coral reefs and among sea weed and sea grass beds. However, there are also pelagic species of pipefish and even freshwater species. In total the superfamily comprises in excess of 50 genera and nearly 300 species.
Solenostomus leptosoma, the delicate ghost pipefish is a species of false pipefish from the family Solenostomidae. It is an Indo-Pacific species which occurs from the Mascarene Islands east to Japan, Indonesia and Australia. It is mainly found along the edge of reefs where the reef borders on bordering on open sand substrates. They are mainly pelagic in their early life stages until they mature and settle on the substrate to breed. The females carry the eggs in a brood pouch formed by their modified pelvic fins.
Histiogamphelus briggsii, also known as Brigg's pipefish, is a species of marine fish in the family Sygnathidae. It can be found in the shallow waters surrounding South Australia, New South Wales, and Northern Tasmania. Its habitat can consist of reefs, seagrass beds, and sandy beach and estuarine environments Individuals of this species can grow to lengths of 25 cm (9.8 in). They are an ovoviviparous species, in which males brood eggs and give birth to live young.
Microphis pleurostictus or Luzon River pipefish (湖沼腹囊海龍)is a species of freshwater pipefish belonging to the family Syngnathidae.
