Hipposyngnathus imporcitor FRITZSCHE, 1980

Taxonomy

Pipefish

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopteri Cope 1871
Order: Syngnathiformes
Family: Syngnathidae Rafinesque 1810
Genus: Hipposyngnathus
Species: Hipposyngnathus imporcitor
Author Citation FRITZSCHE, 1980

Geological Time Scale

Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Cenozoic
Period: Neogene
Sub Period: None
Epoch: Miocene

Stratigraphy

Monterey Formation

Provenance

Acquired by: Purchase/Trade

Dimensions

Length: 20 cm

Location

Dixie Canyon
Santa Barbara County
California
United States

• california
• hipposyngnathus
• miocene
• modelo formation
• santa barbara
• tff-oilshale-ch1794

Comments

Taxonomy according to Fossilworks.org.

Diagnosis from Fritzsche, 1980, p. 217: "A Hipposyngnathus from the upper Modelo Formation of southern California with about 22 dorsal rays; 20-22 trunk rings; 42-44 tail rings; snout 1.5-1.9 in head; orbit 7.8-12.0 in head; pouch rings equal to trunk rings; pectoral fin present but rays not countable; pouch ridge as long as adjacent trunk. Maximum size known 242 mm SL.

Discussion about the genus Hipposyngnathus by Fritzsche, 1980, p. 218: "The genus Hipposyngnathus is unusual in having a very exaggerated ventral trunk ridge. Jerzmanska (1968) suggested that the males alone had this ridge and that it was the site of egg deposition. She also speculated that pouch flaps were present on either side of the ridge. However, the extant genus Maroubra also has an enlarged ventral trunk ridge, although not so well developed as in Hipposyngnathus, and its eggs are not protected by flaps. It seems improbable that Hipposyngnathus had brood-pouch flaps."

Identified by oilshale using Fritzsche, 1980.

 

References:

Jerzmańska, A. (1968). Ichtyofaune des couches à ménilite (flysch des Karpathes). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 13(3), 379-488.

Fritzsche, Ronald A.(1980). Revision of the eastern Pacific Syngnathidae (Pisces: Syngnathiformes), including both Recent and fossil forms. PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, Vol 42, 181-227.

Přikryl, Tomáš & Krzeminski, Wieslaw & Kania, Iwona. (2011). New information about the anatomy of a peculiar fish of the genus Hipposyngnathus Daniltshenko, 1960. Comptes Rendus Palevol - C R PALEVOL. 10. 559-566. 10.1016/j.crpv.2011.05.001.