Pegasidae

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Seamoth
Eurypegasus draconis.jpg
Little dragonfish, Eurypegasus draconis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Syngnathiformes
Suborder: Syngnathoidei
Superfamily: Pegasoidea
Family: Pegasidae
Bonaparte, 1831
Genera

Eurypegasus
Pegasus

The seamoths make up a family of ray-finned fishes, the Pegasidae, within the order Syngnathiformes. They are named for Pegasus, a creature from Greek mythology. Seamoths are notable for their unusual appearance, including flattened bodies, the presence of large, wing-like, pectoral fins, a long snout, and a body encased in thick, bony plates. They are found primarily in coastal tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific. [1]

Contents

Biology

Seamoths have modified pelvic fins that allow them to "walk" across the sea bottom where they live. Their jaws are ventral, located behind their long rostrum, and are toothless. Their mouth is highly specialized, and can form a tube-like mouth used to suck worms and other small invertebrates from their burrows. [2] They periodically molt their skin, perhaps as often as every five days. [3]

Conservation

Pegasus lancifer and the two Eurypegasus species are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, while the remaining species of seamoth remain Data Deficient. Threats to seamoths come from various sources, including fisheries where they are caught as bycatch or on purpose for use in traditional Chinese medicines. They are also collected for sale in the aquarium trade. Bottom trawls and coastal development may detrimentally alter habitat used by benthic seamoths. Life history characteristics such as low population sizes and monogamy with long-term pair bonding put them at risk of exploitation. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longtail seamoth</span> Species of ray-finned fish

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<i>Pegasus lancifer</i> Species of ray-finned fish

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<i>Stigmatopora argus</i> Species of fish

Stigmatopora argus, the spotted pipefish, is a species of ray-finned fish from the family of pipefish and seahorses (Syngnathidae). The scientific name of the species is the first validly published in 1840 by Richardson.

Bhanotia pauciradiata is a little known marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. This species is only known from a single specimen, which was found on a reef slope near Indonesia, at a depth of around 10–12 m (33–39 ft). The specimen was 3.2 centimetres (1.3 in) long. This species is ovoviviparous, with the male carrying eggs in its brood pouch until giving birth to live young.

Choeroichthys cinctus is a species of marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is found in the Western Pacific Ocean, from Indonesia and the Philippines to Samoa, where it usually inhabits sheltered reef habitats at depths over 10 metres (33 ft). It can grow to lengths of 10 centimetres (3.9 in). This species is ovoviviparous, with males carrying eggs in a brood pouch until giving birth to live young. Males may brood at 3 centimetres (1.2 in).

Choeroichthys suillus is a species of marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is endemic to Australia, occurring from Perth, along northern Australia, to southern Queensland. It lives in coral reefs to a depth of 14 metres (46 ft), where it can grow to lengths of 6 centimetres (2.4 in). This species is ovoviviparous, with males carrying eggs and giving birth to live young. Within the reef it is found among coral rubble.

Cosmocampus profundus is a species of marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is found near the southeastern US, the Virgin Islands, and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. The few specimens of this species that have been collected were found over sand and coral at depths of 100-265m. This species is ovoviviparous, with males carrying eggs before giving birth to live young.

<i>Pegasus tetrabelos</i> Species of fish

Pegasus tetrabelos is a species of coastal sea moth which occurs over muddy and sandy substrates in seas off northeastern Australia. It was described in 2016, separated from the more widespread and sympatric P. volitans.

References

  1. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Family Pegasidae". FishBase . September 2012 version.
  2. Orr, J.W. & Pietsch, T.W. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 171. ISBN   0-12-547665-5.
  3. Herold D; Clark E. (1993). "Monogamy, spawning, and skin-shedding of the seamoth, Eurypegasus draconis (Pisces: Pegasidae)". Environmental Biology of Fishes. 37 (3): 219–236. doi:10.1007/BF00004630.
  4. Pollom, R. (2017). "Eurypegasus draconis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T8407A67625953. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T8407A67625953.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  5. Pollom, R. (2017). "Pegasus laternarius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T16475A1073433. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T16475A1073433.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  6. Pollom, R. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Pegasus lancifer". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T16474A115133751. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T16474A1072936.en . Retrieved 17 January 2025.
  7. Pollom, R. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Pegasus volitans". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T16476A115133968. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T16476A46624265.en . Retrieved 17 January 2025.
  8. Pollom, R. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Eurypegasus papilio". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T8408A115087526. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T8408A67626237.en . Retrieved 17 January 2025.
  9. Pollom, R. (2017). "Pegasus tetrabelos". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T101730582A103209434. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T101730582A103209434.en . Retrieved 18 January 2025.