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Spinysnout pipefish (Halicampus spinirostris) — Syngnathidae

Spinysnout pipefish

Halicampus spinirostris
Family: Syngnathidae

The Spinysnout pipefish (Halicampus spinirostris) is a saltwater fish of the family Syngnathidae that grows up to 12 cm.

Length
12 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
4.0–26.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Algae or seagrass meadow
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Spinysnout pipefish is a pipefish (Syngnathidae) from shallow reef and seagrass water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 12 cm and has a thin, bony-ringed, brown-greenish body with skin appendages and a tubular snout. Strongly camouflaged, it lives among coral rubble, weed and seagrass and sucks in small zooplankton. The male carries the eggs. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Spinysnout pipefish?

The Spinysnout pipefish has a snake-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Spinysnout pipefish live?

The Spinysnout pipefish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around algae or seagrass beds.

How big does the Spinysnout pipefish get?

The Spinysnout pipefish grows to a maximum of about 12 cm.

Is the Spinysnout pipefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Spinysnout pipefish is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Doornsnuit-zeenaald sourced
English name
Spinysnout pipefish sourced
Scientific name
Halicampus spinirostris
Family
Syngnathidae
Other names
Spinysnout pipefish; Spiny-snout pipefish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
12.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Beak-shaped sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Algae or seagrass meadow sourced
Min depth (m)
4.0 verified
Max depth (m)
26.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Halicampus

More from the family Syngnathidae

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