| Solenostomus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Two Solenostomus paradoxus specimens | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Syngnathiformes |
| Superfamily: | Syngnathoidea |
| Family: | Solenostomidae Bonaparte, 1846 |
| Genus: | Solenostomus Lacépède, 1803 |
| Type species | |
| Fistularia paradoxa Pallas, 1770 | |
| Species | |
See text | |
| Synonyms | |
Solenostomatichthys Bleeker, 1874 | |
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. [2] [3] Ghost pipefishes are related to pipefishes and seahorses. They are found in tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific. [4]
Contents
The animals, none of which are longer than 17 centimetres (6.7 in), float near motionlessly, with the mouth facing downwards, around a background that makes them nearly impossible to see. They feed on tiny crustaceans, sucked inside through their long snout. They live in open waters except during breeding, when they find a coral reef or muddy bottom, changing color and shape to minimize visibility. [4]
In many respects, they are similar to the pipefishes, but can be distinguished by the presence of pelvic fins, a prominent, spiny, dorsal fin, and star-shaped plates on the skin. Unlike true pipefish, female ghostpipefishes use their enlarged pelvic fins to brood their eggs until they hatch. [4]
Two fossil ghost pipefish genera, Calamostoma and Solenorhynchus , are known from the Eocene of Italy. These are placed in their own extinct subfamily, Solenorhynchinae. [5]
