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Pipefish (Leptonotus elevatus) — Syngnathidae

Pipefish

Leptonotus elevatus
Family: Syngnathidae
NE · Not Evaluated

The Pipefish (Leptonotus elevatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Syngnathidae that grows up to 15 cm.

Length
14.9 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–120.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Southwest Pacific
Edibility
Not eaten

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Description

The elevated pipefish is a pipefish from the southwest Pacific, around New Zealand. The species grows to about 15 cm and has an extremely slender, bony-ringed body and a long, tubular snout with which it sucks up small food. It lives among seagrass and weed in coastal water. As in pipefishes, the male carries the eggs. The fish is harmless to humans and has no commercial value. The IUCN has not evaluated the species.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Pipefish?

The Pipefish has a snake-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern. Extremely slender body with a tube-shaped snout; male carries the eggs

Where does the Pipefish live?

The Pipefish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Southwest Pacific

How big does the Pipefish get?

The Pipefish grows to a maximum of about 15 cm.

Is the Pipefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Pipefish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Pipefish edible?

The Pipefish is not usually eaten.

More photos

Pipefish (Leptonotus elevatus) — Syngnathidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) sarahpf19, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Pipefish (Leptonotus elevatus) — Syngnathidae — 3
Luca Davenport-Thomas (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Pipefish (Leptonotus elevatus) — Syngnathidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) pcaiger, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Pipefish (Leptonotus elevatus) — Syngnathidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Malcolm Francis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Pipefish verified
Scientific name
Leptonotus elevatus
Family
Syngnathidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
14.9 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Beak-shaped sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
120.0 verified
Natural range
Southwest Pacific verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Minute crustaceans inferred
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Seagrass-dwelling pipefish; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Extremely slender body with a tube-shaped snout; male carries the eggs sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Not a target species for angling; at most an incidental catch or usable as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Leptonotus

More from the family Syngnathidae

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