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Family Syngnathidae
Pipefishes &
Seahorses
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Syngnathids have bony plates that form an articulated armor
to protect the body from injury. Pipefishes are basically straight-bodies
seahorses. They have tiny mouths that pluck or inhale small invertebrates
from the substrate or water column. After eggs are fertilized the female
transfers them to a brood pouch on the male's belly until they hatch. Seahorses are rarely found in
Hawaii, from protected bays to the open ocean..
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HAWAII
Dunckerocampus baldwini
Portlock, Oahu, 25 feet
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Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 60 feet |
Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 60 feet |
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BALDWIN'S or
REDSTRIPE PIPEFISH
| Uncommon in dark holes and inside wrecks in deeper water.
Attains 4 inches. Tail is very small; endemic to Hawaii. |
Doryrhamphus excisus
Kapoho Tidepool, Hawaii, 2 feet |
Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia |
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BLUESTRIPE PIPEFISH
| Fairly common in dark holes in shallow water.
Attains 2-3 inches; tail broad and fan-shaped. |
Hippocampus
kuda
Waikiki Aquarium |
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SMOOTH SEAHORSE
| Inhabits bays & estuaries but rarely
seen. Color variable.
Attains 7 inches. In need of further study, may be endemic to
Hawaii. |
INDO-PACIFIC
Hippocampus bargibanti
Wakatobi, Indonesia, 75 feet
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Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia |
Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia |
Dumaguete, Philippines |
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GORGONIAN PYGMY SEAHORSE
| Found on red sea fans. Indonesia to New Caledonia. About 1
inch. |
Hippocampus denise
Wakatobi, Indonesia, 75 feet
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PLUCKED CHICKEN PYGMY SEAHORSE
| Found on orange sea fans. Indo-Malayan region. |
Corythoichthys haematopterus
Wakatobi, Indonesia, 4 feet
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YELLOW-STREAKED PIPEFISH
| Inhabits silty reef flats & seagrasses. Usually found as
pairs. Attains 8 inches. East Africa to Japan &
Vanuatu. Replaced by C. intestinalis in the Pacific, which
has dark markings on the posterior end of body. |
Dunckerocampus
dactyliophorus
Dumaguete, Philippines
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Eggs on male's belly
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RINGED PIPEFISH
| Occurs in pairs on reefs. Attains 9 inches. Indonesia to
Okinawa east to the Society Islands. |
Siokunichthys nigrolineatus
Dumaguete, Philippines
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MUSHROOM-CORAL PIPEFISH
| Inhabits Mushroom coral,
Fungia echinata, at the base of ledges. Attains 3 inches.
Indonesia & the Philippines. |
TROPICAL EASTERN PACIFIC
Hippocampus ingens
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico |
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PANAMIC SEAHORSE
| Uncommon in seaweed and dead coral. West coast of Central
America. |
TEMPERATE AUSTRALIA
Phycodurus eques
Waikiki Aquarium |
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LEAFY SEADRAGON
| Locally common along reef margins & kelp at select
locations. Attains 14 inches. Southern coast of Australia. |
Phyllopterus taeniolatus
Waikiki Aquarium
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WEEDY or COMMON SEADRAGON
| Common along reef margins & kelp. Attains 18 inches.
Sydney to Tasmania and southern portion of Western Australia. |
Family Solenostomidae
Ghost Pipefishes
INDO-PACIFIC
Solenostomus paradoxus
Wakatobi, Indonesia, 60 feet
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Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia |
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Dumaguete, Philippines |
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ORNATE GHOST PIPEFISH
| Hides among gorgonians, black corals, and crinoids. Color
extremely variable. Attains 4.5 inches. Red Sea to Fiji. |
Solenostomus cyanopterus
Wakatobi, Indonesia, 30 feet
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Dumaguete, Philippines |
Dumaguete, Philippines |
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ORNATE GHOST PIPEFISH
| Hides among seagrasses, algae & rubble. Color
extremely variable. Attains 6 inches. Red Sea to Japan &
Fiji. |
Family Centriscidae
Shrimpfishes
INDO-PACIFIC
Aeoliscus strigatus
Moon Beach, Okinawa, 10 feet
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CORAL SHRIMPFISH
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Occasional found in small groups in calm lagoons and
seagrass beds. About 6 inches. Seychelles to Japan and Fiji. |
Family Pegasidae
Sea Moths
INDO-PACIFIC
Eurypegasus draconis
Puerto Galera, Philippines
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SHORT SEAMOTH
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Uncommon among silty sand & rubble. Attains
3 inches. Indo-Pacific. Replaced in Hawaii by the deepwater
endemic Eurypegasus papilo. |
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