Prosolenostomus lessinii

Prosolenostomus lessinii Blot 1981

Eocene

Monte Bolca near Verona

Italy

The species of the family Syngnathidae belong to the order Syngnathiformes. The name "Syngnathiformes" means "conjoined-jaws". Syngnathiformes is an order of ray-finned fishes that includes among others false pipefishes, ghost pipefishes and tubemouth fishes (Solenostomidae), pipefishes and seahorses (Syngnathidae), razorfishes (Centriscidae), trumpetfishes (Aulostomidae) and cornetfishes (Fistulariidae). Fishes of this order have elongate, narrow, bodies surrounded by a series of bony rings, and small, tubular mouths. The tubular mouth shows that these members of the Syngnathiformes fed on small Crustaceans and such, much as their modern-day relatives Seahorses and Pipefishes. The family Syngnathidae includes the pipefishes and seahorses as well as the leafy and weedy sea dragons.

The species of the subfamily Solenostomidae (false pipefishes) have elongated, thin, snake-like bodies with a highly modified skeleton formed into armored plating. The head is elongate with a long and slender, tubular snout; the mouth being small and toothless. The dorsal fin is the main part of locomotion. They are very weak swimmers in open water, moving slowly by means of rapid movements of the dorsal fin. In many respects, they are similar to the pipefishes (Syngnathidae), but can be distinguished by the presence of pelvic fins, a prominent, spiny, dorsal fin and star-shaped plates on the skin.

The species of the subfamily Solenostomidae are abundant on coasts of the tropical and temperate zones. Most species of pipefish are usually no longer than 15 cm in length and generally inhabit sheltered areas in coral reefs, seagrass beds and sandy lagoons.