Syngnathus emeritus Fritzsche 1980

Syngnathus emeritus Fritzsche 1980

    Miocene

    Santa Barbara

    California

    USA

    Length 19cm / 7"

    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 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 Syngnathinae (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. The ventral fins are constantly absent; other fins may or may not be developed.

    The species of the subfamily Syngnathinae are abundant on coasts of the tropical and temperate zones. Most species of pipefish are usually 35–40 cm in length and generally inhabit sheltered areas in coral reefs, seagrass beds and sandy lagoons.