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Fish Identification: Find Species


Family: Syngnathidae Pipefishes and seahorses



(See list of species below)


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306 species (see list below)
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Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm) Year
Acentronura breviperula East Indian Ocean 5 TL 1949
Acentronura gracilissima Bastard seahorse Western Pacific 1850
Acentronura tentaculata Shortpouch pygmy pipehorse Indo-West Pacific 6.3 TL 1870
Amphelikturus dendriticus Pipehorse Western Atlantic 7.5 TL 1905
Anarchopterus criniger Fringed pipefish Western Atlantic 10 TL 1884
Anarchopterus tectus Insular pipefish Western Atlantic 12.5 TL 1978
Apterygocampus epinnulatus Briarium pipefish Western Central Pacific 3 SL 1913
Bhanotia fasciolata Corrugated pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean and 9 SL 1870
Bhanotia nuda Naked pipefish Western Central Pacific 7 SL 1978
Bhanotia pauciradiata Few-rayed pipefish Western Central Pacific 3.2 SL 1995
Bryx analicarens Pink pipefish Western Indian Ocean 12.5 SL 1915
Bryx dunckeri Pugnose pipefish Western Atlantic 7.5 TL 1919
Bryx randalli Western Atlantic 1965
Bryx veleronis Eastern Pacific 6 SL 1940
Bulbonaricus brauni Pugheaded pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 5.5 SL 1978
Bulbonaricus brucei Western Indian Ocean 4.5 SL 1984
Bulbonaricus davaoensis Davao pughead pipefish Indo-West Pacific 4.3 SL 1953
Campichthys galei Gale's pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 5.5 SL 1909
Campichthys nanus Western Indian Ocean 2.5 SL 1977
Campichthys tricarinatus Three-keel pipefish Western Central Pacific 4.4 SL 1977
Campichthys tryoni Tryon's pipefish Western Central Pacific 7.2 SL 1890
Choeroichthys brachysoma Short-bodied pipefish Indo-Pacific 7 TL 1855
Choeroichthys cinctus Barred shortbody pipefish Western Pacific 8 SL 1976
Choeroichthys hadiatyae Renny’s pipefish Western Central Pacific 3.4 SL 2020
Choeroichthys latispinosus Muiron pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 1978
Choeroichthys sculptus Sculptured pipefish Indo-Pacific 8.5 TL 1870
Choeroichthys smithi Western Indian Ocean 5 TL 1976
Choeroichthys suillus Pigsnout pipefish Western Central Pacific 6.8 SL 1951
Corythoichthys amplexus Brown-banded pipefish Indo-West Pacific 10 SL 1975
Corythoichthys benedetto Benedetto's pipefish Indo-West Pacific 6.8 SL 2008
Corythoichthys conspicillatus Pacific Ocean 11.3 TL 1842
Corythoichthys flavofasciatus Network pipefish Indo-Pacific 12 TL 1838
Corythoichthys haematopterus Messmate pipefish Indo-Pacific 19.8 SL 1851
Corythoichthys insularis Western Indian Ocean 10 SL 1977
Corythoichthys intestinalis Scribbled pipefish Western Central Pacific 16 SL 1881
Corythoichthys nigripectus Black-breasted pipefish Indo-Pacific 11 SL 1953
Corythoichthys ocellatus Ocellated pipefish Western Central Pacific 10.3 SL 1953
Corythoichthys paxtoni Paxton's pipefish Western Pacific 13.4 SL 1977
Corythoichthys polynotatus Many-spotted pipefish Western Central Pacific 16 TL 1977
Corythoichthys schultzi Schultz's pipefish Indo-Pacific 16 TL 1953
Cosmocampus albirostris Whitenose pipefish Western Atlantic 20 TL 1856
Cosmocampus arctus Snubnose pipefish Eastern Pacific 12 TL 1889
Cosmocampus balli Ball's pipe fish Eastern Central Pacific 12 TL 1925
Cosmocampus banneri Roughridge pipefish Indo-West Pacific 5.8 SL 1972
Cosmocampus brachycephalus Crested pipefish Western Atlantic 10 TL 1868
Cosmocampus coccineus Eastern Pacific 12.6 SL 1940
Cosmocampus darrosanus D'Arros pipefish Indo-West Pacific 7.4 SL 1975
Cosmocampus elucens Shortfin pipefish Western Atlantic 15 TL 1868
Cosmocampus heraldi Southeast Pacific 7 SL 1980
Cosmocampus hildebrandi Dwarf pipefish Western Atlantic 10 TL 1965
Cosmocampus howensis Lord Howe pipefish Indo-Pacific 9.5 SL 1948
Cosmocampus investigatoris Investigator pipefish Indo-West Pacific 7.2 SL 1926
Cosmocampus maxweberi Maxweber's pipefish Indo-Pacific 10 TL 1933
Cosmocampus profundus Deepwater pipefish Western Atlantic 20 TL 1965
Cosmocampus retropinnis Eastern Atlantic 5.2 SL 1982
Cylix tupareomanaia Manaia pygmy pipehorse Southwest Pacific 5.6 SL 2021
Doryichthys boaja Asia 41 SL 1850
Doryichthys contiguus Asia 11.0 SL 2000
Doryichthys deokhatoides Asia 18.5 SL 1854
Doryichthys heterosoma Asia 34 SL 1851
Doryichthys martensii Asia 15 SL 1868
Doryrhamphus abbreviatus Western Indian Ocean 4.3 SL 1981
Doryrhamphus aurolineatus Western Indian Ocean 3.5 SL 1994
Doryrhamphus bicarinatus Narrowstripe pipefish Western Indian Ocean 8 TL 1981
Doryrhamphus excisus Bluestripe pipefish Indo-Pacific and Eastern 7 TL 1856
Doryrhamphus janssi Janss' pipefish Western Central Pacific 14 TL 1972
Doryrhamphus japonicus Honshu pipefish Western Pacific 8.5 TL 1975
Doryrhamphus malus Western Pacific 6.2 SL 1954
Doryrhamphus melanopleura Western Central Pacific 1858
Doryrhamphus negrosensis Negros pipefish Western Pacific 4.7 SL 1934
Doryrhamphus paulus Eastern Central Pacific 3.9 SL 1980
Dunckerocampus baldwini Redstripe pipefish Indo-Pacific 14 SL 1972
Dunckerocampus boylei Broad-banded Pipefish Indian Ocean 16 TL 1998
Dunckerocampus chapmani Glowtail pipefish Southwest Pacific 8.5 SL 1953
Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus Ringed pipefish Indo-Pacific 19 TL 1853
Dunckerocampus multiannulatus Many-banded pipefish Western Indian Ocean 19 TL 1903
Dunckerocampus naia Naia pipefish Pacific Ocean 12.0 SL 2004
Dunckerocampus pessuliferus Yellowbanded pipefish Western Central Pacific 16 TL 1938
Enneacampus ansorgii Africa 13.6 SL 1910
Enneacampus kaupi Africa 16.5 SL 1863
Entelurus aequoreus Snake pipefish Eastern Atlantic 60 TL 1758
Festucalex armillatus Northwest Pacific 2016
Festucalex cinctus Girdled pipefish West Pacific 13 SL 1882
Festucalex erythraeus Indo-Pacific 8.2 SL 1905
Festucalex gibbsi Gibbs' pipefish Western Pacific 8 SL 1977
Festucalex kulbickii Kulbicki’s pipefish Western Central Pacific 6.8 SL 2004
Festucalex prolixus Western Central Pacific 3.6 SL 1984
Festucalex rufus Western Pacific 3.8 SL 2015
Festucalex scalaris Ladder pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 18 SL 1870
Festucalex wassi Wass’ pipefish Western Central Pacific 7.4 SL 1977
Filicampus tigris Tiger pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean and 29.6 SL 1879
Halicampus boothae Booth's pipefish Western Indian Ocean 17.5 SL 1964
Halicampus brocki Brock's pipefish Western Pacific 12 TL 1953
Halicampus dunckeri Duncker's pipefish Indo-West Pacific 15 TL 1929
Halicampus edmondsoni Edmondson's pipefish Eastern Central Pacific 9.4 SL 1928
Halicampus grayi Gray's pipefish Indo-West Pacific 20 SL 1856
Halicampus macrorhynchus Ornate pipefish Indo-West Pacific 18 TL 1915
Halicampus marquesensis Eastern Central Pacific 7 SL 1984
Halicampus mataafae Samoan pipefish Indo-Pacific 14 TL 1906
Halicampus nitidus Glittering pipefish Western Pacific 7.3 SL 1873
Halicampus punctatus Starry pipefish Northwest Pacific 17 TL 1952
Halicampus spinirostris Spinysnout pipefish Indo-Pacific 12 TL 1981
Halicampus zavorensis Zavora pipefish Western Indian Ocean 10 TL 1984
Haliichthys taeniophorus Ribboned pipefish Indo-Pacific 30 TL 1859
Heraldia nocturna Upside-down pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 9.2 SL 1975
Hippichthys albomaculosus Oceania 2010
Hippichthys cyanospilos Blue-spotted pipefish Indo-Pacific 16 SL 1854
Hippichthys heptagonus Belly pipefish Africa, Asia and Oceania 15 SL 1849
Hippichthys parvicarinatus Short-keel pipefish Oceania 8.2 SL 1978
Hippichthys penicillus Beady pipefish Indo-West Pacific 18 SL 1849
Hippichthys spicifer Bellybarred pipefish Indo-Pacific 18 TL 1838
Hippocampus abdominalis Big-belly seahorse Southwest Pacific 35 OT 1827
Hippocampus algiricus West African seahorse Eastern Central Atlantic 19.2 OT 1856
Hippocampus angustus Western spiny seahorse Indo-West Pacific 22 TL 1870
Hippocampus barbouri Barbour's seahorse Western Central Pacific 15 OT 1908
Hippocampus bargibanti Pygmy seahorse Indo-West Pacific 2.4 OT 1970
Hippocampus borboniensis Réunion seahorse Western Indian Ocean 14 OT 1870
Hippocampus breviceps Shorthead seahorse Indo-Pacific 15 TL 1869
Hippocampus camelopardalis Giraffe seahorse Western Indian Ocean 10 TL 1854
Hippocampus capensis Knysna seahorse Southeast Atlantic 12.1 OT 1900
Hippocampus casscsio Beibu Bay seahorse Northwest Pacific 13.3 SL 2016
Hippocampus colemani Coleman's pygmy seahorse Southwest Pacific 2.7 SL 2003
Hippocampus comes Tiger tail seahorse Indo-West Pacific 18.7 OT 1849
Hippocampus coronatus Crowned seahorse Northwest Pacific 13.3 SL 1850
Hippocampus curvicuspis New Caledonian thorny seahorse Western Pacific 9.8 SL 2004
Hippocampus dahli Lowcrown seahorse Western Central Pacific 1908
Hippocampus debelius Softcoral seahorse Western Indian Ocean 2.4 SL 2009
Hippocampus denise Denise's pygmy seahorse Indo-West Pacific 2.4 SL 2003
Hippocampus erectus Lined seahorse Western Atlantic 19 OT 1810
Hippocampus fisheri Fisher's seahorse Western Pacific 8 OT 1903
Hippocampus fuscus Sea pony Indian Ocean 14.4 OT 1838
Hippocampus guttulatus Long-snouted seahorse Eastern Atlantic 21.5 SL 1829
Hippocampus haema Korean seahorse Northwestern Pacific 11.4 SL 2017
Hippocampus hippocampus Short snouted seahorse Eastern Atlantic 15 TL 1758
Hippocampus histrix Thorny seahorse Indo-Pacific 17 TL 1856
Hippocampus ingens Pacific seahorse Eastern Pacific 30 TL 1858
Hippocampus japapigu Japanese pygmy seahorse Northwestern Pacific 1.6 SL 2018
Hippocampus jayakari Jayakar's seahorse Western Indian Ocean 14 OT 1900
Hippocampus jugumus Collared seahorse Southwest Pacific 4.4 OT 2001
Hippocampus kelloggi Great seahorse Indo-West Pacific 28 OT 1901
Hippocampus kuda Spotted seahorse Indo-Pacific 30 TL 1852
Hippocampus lichtensteinii Lichtenstein's Seahorse Western Indian Ocean 4 OT 1856
Hippocampus minotaur Bullneck seahorse Southwest Pacific 5 OT 1997
Hippocampus mohnikei Japanese seahorse Indo-West Pacific 8 OT 1853
Hippocampus montebelloensis Monte Bello seahorse Eastern Indian Ocean 7.8 OT 2001
Hippocampus nalu Sodwana pygmy seahorse Western Indian Ocean 2.2 SL 2020
Hippocampus paradoxus Paradoxical seahorse Eastern Indian Ocean 6.5 SL 2010
Hippocampus patagonicus Patagonian seahorse Southwest Atlantic 10.3 TL 2004
Hippocampus planifrons Flatface seahorse Eastern Indian Ocean 10.8 OT 1877
Hippocampus pontohi Pontoh's pygmy seahorse Western Pacific 1.7 SL 2008
Hippocampus pusillus Pygmy thorny seahorse Western Pacific 3.9 OT 2004
Hippocampus reidi Longsnout seahorse Western Atlantic 17.5 OT 1933
Hippocampus satomiae Satomi's pygmy seahorse Western Pacific 1.4 SL 2008
Hippocampus sindonis Shiho's seahorse Northwest Pacific 10.8 SL 1901
Hippocampus spinosissimus Hedgehog seahorse Indo-Pacific 18 OT 1913
Hippocampus subelongatus West Australian seahorse Eastern Indian Ocean 20 OT 1873
Hippocampus suezensis Egyptian seahorse Western Indian Ocean 27.5 TL 1940
Hippocampus trimaculatus Longnose seahorse Indo-West Pacific 22 TL 1814
Hippocampus tyro Western Indian Ocean 6.1 TL 2009
Hippocampus waleananus Walea pygmy seahorse Western Central Pacific 1.8 SL 2009
Hippocampus whitei White's seahorse Southwest Pacific 13 OT 1855
Hippocampus zebra Zebra seahorse Indo-West Pacific 8 OT 1964
Hippocampus zosterae Dwarf seahorse Western Atlantic 5 TL 1882
Histiogamphelus briggsii Briggs' pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 22.5 SL 1914
Histiogamphelus cristatus Macleay's crested pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 26.5 SL 1881
Hypselognathus horridus Prickly pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 27.3 SL 1982
Hypselognathus rostratus Knife-snouted pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 30.5 SL 1921
Ichthyocampus bikiniensis Western Central Pacific 1953
Ichthyocampus carce Indo-West Pacific 15 1822
Idiotropiscis australis Southern little pipehorse Eastern Indian Ocean 5.5 TL 1921
Idiotropiscis larsonae Helen's pygmy pipehorse Eastern Indian Ocean 1984
Idiotropiscis lumnitzeri Sydney's pygmy pipehorse Southwestern Pacific 5.5 TL 2004
Kaupus costatus Deepbody pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 12.9 SL 1921
Kimblaeus bassensis Trawl pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 16 SL 1980
Kyonemichthys rumengani Thread pipefish Indo-West Pacific 2.7 TL 2007
Leptoichthys fistularius Brushtail pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 63 SL 1853
Leptonotus blainvilleanus Deep-bodied pipefish Southeast Pacific and Sou 25 SL 1837
Leptonotus elevatus Pipefish Southwest Pacific 15.0 SL 1872
Leptonotus norae Longsnout pipefish Southwest Pacific 21.5 SL 1910
Lissocampus bannwarthi Western Indian Ocean 13.2 SL 1915
Lissocampus caudalis Smooth pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 10 SL 1921
Lissocampus fatiloquus Prophet's pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 7.9 SL 1943
Lissocampus filum Shortsnout pipefish Southwest Pacific 10.7 SL 1870
Lissocampus runa Javelin pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 9.4 SL 1931
Lophocampus brevidorsalis Stream pipefish Asia and Oceania 11.5 SL 1913
Lophocampus ocellatus Asia 12.5 SL 1910
Lophocampus retzii Ragged-tail pipefish Asia and Oceania 14.5 SL 1856
Maroubra perserrata Sawtooth pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 7.2 SL 1948
Maroubra yasudai Orange pipefish Northwest Pacific 16.2 SL 1983
Micrognathus andersonii Shortnose pipefish Indo-Pacific 8.5 TL 1858
Micrognathus brevicorpus Western Pacific 7.3 SL 2004
Micrognathus brevirostris Thorntail pipefish Western Indian Ocean 67.5 SL 1838
Micrognathus crinitus Banded pipefish Western Atlantic 15 TL 1842
Micrognathus erugatus Southwest Atlantic 1974
Micrognathus micronotopterus Tidepool pipefish Western Pacific 5.7 SL 1938
Micrognathus natans Offshore pipefish Western Central Pacific 6 TL 1982
Micrognathus pygmaeus Thorntailed pipefish Pacific Ocean 6 TL 1981
Microphis aculeatus Africa 20 SL 1856
Microphis argulus Flat-nosed pipepfish Western Indian Ocean 15 SL 1855
Microphis brachyurus Short-tailed pipefish Asia and Oceania 22 SL 1854
Microphis caudocarinatus Slender pipefish Asia 6.8 SL 1907
Microphis cruentus Dumbéa river pipefish Oceania 15.5 SL 1981
Microphis cuncalus Crocodile-tooth pipefish Asia 17.5 SL 1822
Microphis deocata Deocata pipefish Asia 15 SL 1822
Microphis dunckeri Asia 12 SL 1929
Microphis fluviatilis Freshwater pipefish Africa 21 TL 1852
Microphis leiaspis Barhead pipefish Africa 19 SL 1854
Microphis lineatus Opossum pipefish Western Atlantic 19.4 SL 1856
Microphis manadensis Menado pipefish Asia and Oceania 20 SL 1856
Microphis mento Asia 15 SL 1856
Microphis millepunctatus Shorttail pipefish Western Indian Ocean 22 TL 1856
Microphis pleurostictus Asia 15 SL 1868
Microphis spinachioides Spinach pipefish Oceania 15 SL 1915
Minyichthys brachyrhinus Eastern Indian Ocean 4.6 SL 1953
Minyichthys inusitatus Western Central Atlantic 1983
Minyichthys myersi Myer's pipefish Indo-West Pacific 6 TL 1972
Minyichthys sentus Eastern Atlantic 6 TL 1982
Mitotichthys meraculus Western crested pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 22.2 SL 1948
Mitotichthys mollisoni Mollison's pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 15.9 SL 1955
Mitotichthys semistriatus Half-banded pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 26.8 SL 1856
Mitotichthys tuckeri Tucker's pipefish Southwest Pacific 15.9 SL 1942
Nannocampus elegans Elegant pipefish Western Indian Ocean 12 TL 1953
Nannocampus lindemanensis Painted pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean and 1948
Nannocampus pictus Reef pipefish Indo-West Pacific 10 TL 1915
Nannocampus subosseus Bony-headed pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 9.1 SL 1870
Nannocampus weberi Reef-flat pipefish Western Central Pacific 10 TL 1915
Nerophis lumbriciformis Worm pipefish Eastern Atlantic 17 TL 1835
Nerophis maculatus Eastern Atlantic 30 TL 1810
Nerophis ophidion Straightnose pipefish Eastern Atlantic 30 TL 1758
Notiocampus ruber Red pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 16.4 SL 1886
Oostethus insularis Andaman pipefish Asia 9.7 TL 1925
Oostethus jagorii Asia 16 SL 1868
Penetopteryx nanus Lost pipefish Western Central Atlantic 3.2 SL 1911
Penetopteryx taeniocephalus Oceanic pipefish Indo-Pacific 7.3 SL 1881
Phoxocampus belcheri Rock pipefish Indo-West Pacific 7.2 SL 1856
Phoxocampus diacanthus Spined pipefish Indo-Pacific 8.7 SL 1943
Phoxocampus tetrophthalmus Trunk-barred pipefish Western Central Pacific 8 TL 1858
Phycodurus eques Leafy seadragon Eastern Indian Ocean 35 TL 1865
Phyllopteryx dewysea Ruby seadragon Eastern Indian Ocean 25.9 TL 2015
Phyllopteryx taeniolatus Common seadragon Eastern Indian Ocean 46 TL 1804
Pseudophallus elcapitanensis Central America 18.5 SL 1914
Pseudophallus mindii Central and South America 16 SL 1923
Pseudophallus starksii Central and South America 17.6 SL 1895
Pugnaso curtirostris Pug-nosed pipefish Eastern Indian Ocean 18.2 SL 1872
Siokunichthys bentuviai Barred xenia-pipefish Western Indian Ocean 6.1 SL 1966
Siokunichthys breviceps Softcoral pipefish Western Indian Ocean 15 SL 1963
Siokunichthys herrei Herre’s pipefish Indo-West Pacific 7.6 SL 1953
Siokunichthys nigrolineatus Mushroom-coral pipefish Western Central Pacific 8 SL 1983
Siokunichthys southwelli Southwell's pipefish Western Indian Ocean 4.3 SL 1910
Siokunichthys striatus New Caledonian soft-coral pipefish Western Pacific 9.3 SL 2004



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cfm script by eagbayani, 30.11.04, ,  php script by cmilitante, 05/11/2010 ,  last modified by cmilitante, 14/03/2013