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Shorthead pipefish (Siokunichthys breviceps) — Syngnathidae

Shorthead pipefish

Siokunichthys breviceps
Family: Syngnathidae

The Shorthead pipefish (Siokunichthys breviceps) is a saltwater fish of the family Syngnathidae that grows up to 15 cm.

Length
15 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
3.0–12.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Shorthead pipefish is a pipefish (Syngnathidae) from shallow reef and seagrass water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 10 cm and has a very slender, armoured, tubular body with a long, tubular snout and a small, toothless mouth. As a calm dweller of coral, seagrass and weed it sucks up minute crustaceans. As in all pipefishes the male carries the eggs until they hatch. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Shorthead pipefish?

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

Where does the Shorthead pipefish live?

The Shorthead pipefish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Shorthead pipefish get?

The Shorthead pipefish grows to a maximum of about 15 cm.

Is the Shorthead pipefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Shorthead pipefish is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Kortkop-zeenaald sourced
English name
Shorthead pipefish sourced
Scientific name
Siokunichthys breviceps
Family
Syngnathidae
Other names
Soft-coral pipefish verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
3.0 verified
Max depth (m)
12.0 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 Siokunichthys

More from the family Syngnathidae

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