145: SYNGNATHIDAE (SEAHORSES & PIPEFISHES)
use of sexually dimorphic characters (e.g. brood-pouch
type or location) and should, in the case of pipefishes, permit ready identification of adults and most juveniles.
KEY TO GENERA
la Superior trunk and tail ridges discontinuous near rear of
Dbase ............. ... .. .. ........... ... ...... .. ..................... ......... ... 2
Ib Superior trunk and tail ridges continuous ...... ... ........... ... ..... . 10
2a Inferior trunk and tail ridges continuous ..... ... ............... ... ... .. . 3
2b Inferior trunk and tail ridges discontinuous near anal ring ......... 5
3a Lateral trunk ridge deflected ventrad near anal ring,
infrequently confluent with inferior ridge ...... .. ........ Hippichthys
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3a
I 3b
3b Lateral trunk ridge not deflected ventrad ... ................ ... ........ 4
4a D 28-42; median dorsal snout ridge essentially
smooth ............. ........ ........................ ... ..... ... ..... Syngnathus
4b D 16-20; snout ridge with 3-5 bony dorsal
projections ... ..... ...... .... .. ...... ....... ...... ... ..... ..... Cosmocampus
Sa C absent; tail usually coiled distally, clearly
prehensile ........ .... .... ........ ...... .... ...... ..... ...... .. . Hippocampus
'~
, .
....
5a
5b
5b C present; tail not coiled distally, not clearly
prehensile .... .. .. ........ .. ......... .......... .... .. ..... .. ...... ......... ..... 6
6a Crays 10 .. ... ... ....... .. ... .... .... ... ... .... .. ..... .... ... .. ...... ........... . 7
6b Crays 8-9 .... .......... .. .... .. ... .. ... ...... ..... .. ....... .... ............ ..... 9
7a Prays 9-18; male brood area under tail ..... ........... ..... ..... .. .. ... 8
7b Prays 17-23; male brood area under trunk .......... Doryrhamphus
8a Median dorsal snout ridge low, concave in lateral
aspect, entire; margins of body ridges essentially
entire; dermal flaps absent from eye ... ....... .... .... ... Micrognathus
8a
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8b
8b Median dorsal snout ridge linear to somewhat
elevated, not concave in lateral aspect, the
margin spiny to denticulate; margins of principal
body ridges often denticulate to spiny; dermal
8b
flaps usually present on eye ...... ..... ..... .................. Ha/icampus
9a Superior trunk ridge arched dorsad below Dbase;
total subdorsal rings 4.5-6; tail rings 53-63; male
brood area under tail; C rudimentary in subadults
and adults .... ........... ....... ....... ..... ....... ..... .... Trachyrhamphus
446
9a
9b
9b Superior trunk ridge not arched dorsad below Dbase;
total subdorsal rings 7-16.5; tail rings 20-26; male
brood area under trunk; C not rudimentary ... ... .......... Microphis
lOa Inferior trunk and tail ridges discontinuous near
anal ring ....... .......... ..... ......... ... .............. .................... ... II
lOb Inferior trunk and tail ridges continuous ... .... ... .. ...... ... .... ... .. 12
lIa C present; Prays 17-23; male brood area under
trunk; tail not coiled distally, not clearly
prehensile ... ......... ... ... ... .... ... ....... .......... ..... ... Choeroichthys
lib C absent in subadults/adults; Prays 12-17; male
brood area under tail; tail coiled distally, clearly
prehensile ... .. ... .. ...... .... .. .. .... ............ ............ .... Acentronura
12a Prays 20-23 ; C absent ; tail usually coiled distally,
clearly prehensile; lateral trunk ridge angled dorsad
to end near superior tail ridge ..... ... .. ....... ...... ..... Syngnathoides
12a
12b
12b Prays 0-17; C present ; tail not coiled, not clearly
prehensile ; lateral trunk ridge not angled dorsad ... ......... .. .... .. 13
13a Anal fin absent ....... ..... .. ...... .... ........ ..... ... .... .. Nannocampus
13b Anal fin present .......... ..... ................ .......... ..... ............... 14
14a Principal ridges of posterior tail rings flared
laterad, the posterior angles forming hook-like
points; lateral trunk ridge ends on 1st-5th tail
ring (on 3rd-4th in 95% of specimens examined) ..... Phoxocampus
.0(' . ,
14a
14b
14b Principal ridges of tail rings not flared laterad, the
posterior angles not forming hook-like points;
lateral trunk ridge ends on 0-1 tail rings (on last
trunk ring in 79% of specimens examined) ....... ..... ...... Festucalex
Genus Acentronura Kaup, 1853
Five or 6 nominal species in 3 subgenera; 1 species (subgenus Acentronura) in our area. The subgenus Idiotropiscis