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Hairy pipefish (Urocampus nanus) — Syngnathidae

Hairy pipefish

Urocampus nanus
Family: Syngnathidae

The Hairy pipefish (Urocampus nanus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Syngnathidae that grows up to 13 cm.

Length
13.4 cm
Water
Brackish
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The hairy pipefish is a small pipefish (Syngnathidae) from shallow coastal waters with seagrass and weed of the western Pacific, including Australia and East Asia. The species grows to about 6 cm and has a very thin, elongate body armoured with bony rings, often with small skin tabs that camouflage it among the blades, and a short tubular snout. It sucks in small zooplankton; the male carries the eggs under its tail. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Hairy pipefish?

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

Where does the Hairy pipefish live?

The Hairy pipefish lives in brackish water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Hairy pipefish get?

The Hairy pipefish grows to a maximum of about 13 cm.

Is the Hairy pipefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Hairy pipefish is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Harige zeenaald sourced
English name
Hairy pipefish sourced
Scientific name
Urocampus nanus
Family
Syngnathidae
Other names
Barbed pipefish verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
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 Urocampus

More from the family Syngnathidae

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