Seamoth | |
---|---|
Little dragonfish, Eurypegasus draconis | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Syngnathiformes |
Suborder: | Syngnathoidei |
Superfamily: | Pegasoidea |
Family: | Pegasidae Bonaparte, 1831 |
Genera | |
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]
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]
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]
The long-snouted pipefish is a pipefish of the family Syngnathidae
The little dragonfish or short dragonfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish in the family Pegasidae. It is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea.
The Hawaiian sea-moth fish is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Pegasidae. It is endemic to Hawaii. The only other species in the genus is Eurypegasus draconis.
The brick seamoth, Pegasus laternarius, also known as the long-tailed dragonfish, long-tailed seamoth, pelagic dragon-fish, or the winged dragonfish, is a species of ray-finned fish in the Pegasidae, or seamoth, family. This species is used extensively in the Guangdong and Guangxi province of China to treat scrofula, cough, and diarrhea.
The longtail seamoth is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Pegasidae. It is found around the coasts of Australia, Bahrain, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan, Tanzania, and Thailand. This fish is used in Chinese medicine and in the aquarium trade.
Pegasus lancifer, the sculptured seamoth or sculptured dragonfish, is a species of seamoth which is endemic to the temperate seas of southern Australia and Tasmania. They are known to gather in large numbers in the shallows of estuaries. Individuals can bury themselves in the sediment and change colours to camouflage them. The male & female spawn as a pair, swimming with their vents touching around a 1 metre (3.3 ft) above the substrate, while the eggs and sperm are released. After spawning the pair separates and the eggs begin a pelagic phase.
The Sakhalin Stickleback is a fish of the family Gasterosteidae. It is a freshwater benthopelagic fish, that grows up to 7.0 cm in length. It is endemic to the islands of Hokkaido and Sakhalin.
The long-tailed ghost pipefish or armored ghost pipefish is a ghost pipefish in the family Solenostomidae. The species name comes from the Greek armatura, referring to this fish's armor of dermal plates. Solenostomus leptosoma is now considered a synonym of S. armatus, the valid species identification.
Notiocampus ruber, known commonly as the red pipefish, is a species of pipefish endemic to the Indian Ocean waters along the southern coast of Australia and Tasmania. It occurs at depths from 5 to 20 m over the continental shelf. This species grows to a length of 16.4 cm (6.5 in). This species is the only known member of its genus.
Penetopteryx is a genus of pipefishes.
The ring-backed pipefish is a species of pipefish found in the waters of the Indian Ocean off the southern coast of Australia. It occurs on reefs in beds of red and brown algae down to depths of 15 metres (49 ft). This species grows to a length of 22 centimetres (8.7 in) SL. This species is the only known member of its genus.
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.
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.