145: SYNGNATHIDAE (SEAHORSES & PIPEFISHES)
Genus Doryrhamphus Kaup, 1856
Ten species and 3 subspecies in 2 subgenera; 4 species in
our area, 1 endemic to southern Africa.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Snout with 1-5 dorsolateral rows of spines or spinules
on each side of median dorsal ridge; pouch folds present
in mature males; usually with striped colour pattern;
(subgenus Doryrhamphus) .. .. .. .. .... .... ...................... .. .. .. ...... 2
Ib Snout without rows of spinules ; pouch folds absent;
mostly with banded colour pattern; (subgenus
Dunckerocampus) ........................................ ....... ... .. ..... .... 3
2a Subdorsal trunk rings 5.0-3.0; upper half of side of
trunk plain or with broad dark stripe; subadult/adult
males with 1 ventrolateral bony projection on snout ....... D. excisus
2b Subdorsal trunk rings 2.5-2.0; upper half of side
of trunk with narrow dark stripe; subadult/adult
males with 2 ventrolateral bony projections on
2b
side of snout ................ .. ...... .. .... .. .................... D. bicarinatus
3a Head and body with ca. 20-40 dark bands; 6-13
bands on trunk .. .. ........................................ D. dactyliophorus
3b Head and body with ca. 58-113 dark bands; 19-36
bands on trunk ............ .. ........ .. .............. .... .. D. multiannulatus
145.5 Doryrhamphus bicarinatus
Dawson, 1981
Narrowstripe pipefish
Smalstreep-pypvis
Doryrhamphus bicarinatus Dawson , 1981: 13, Figs. 8, 10 (Sodwana
Bay, South Africa). Doryrhamphus (Doryrhamphus) bicarinatus: Dawson , 1985: 60* .
Rings 16+(16-17); D 21-23 ; A 4; subdorsal rings (2.5-2.0)+(2.75-3.0)
= 4.75-5 .75.
Attains 8cm. Sodwana Bay and Inhaca Id., Mozambique.
(See illustration on p. 449.)
145.6 Doryrhamphus excisus excisus
Kaup,1856
PLATE 23
Bluestripe pipefish
Bloustreepte-pypvis
Doryrhamphus excisus Kaup, 1856: 54 , PI. 3, Fig. 5 (locality not stated ,
probably Indian Ocean). Doryrhamphus melanopleura: Smith, 1953: 517,
No. 358a*; 1963: 530*. Doryrhamphus excisus excisus: Dawson, 1981 : 4*.
Doryrhamphus (Doryrhamphus) excisus excisus: Dawson, 1985: 61*.
Rings (17-19)+(13-17); D 21-29; A 4; subdorsal rings (5.0-3.0)+(1.754.5) = 5.75-8.25. D. excisus abbreviatus Dawson , 1981, with (15-16)+(1112) rings is the Red Sea subspecies, whereas D. excisus paulus Fritzsche,
1980, with (16-17)+(14-16) rings, is endemic to the Revillagigedo Ids ..
Mexico.
448
Attains 8 cm. Xora River Mouth to Mozambique; also
throughout Indo-Pacific region to west coast of tropical
America. (See illustration on p. 449.)
145.7 Doryrhamphus dactyliophorus
(Bleeker, 1853)
PLATE 23
Banded pipefish
Band-pypvis
Syngnathus dactyliophorus Bleeker, 1853: 506 (Batavia). Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus dactyliophorus: Smith, 1963: 526*' Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus: Herald & Randall, 1972: ,130. Doryrhamphus
(Dunckerocampus) dactyliophorus: Dawson , 1985: 67*.
Rings (15-16)+(18-22); D 20-26; P 18-22; A 4; subdorsal rings (1.750.0)+(2.0-4.75) = 3.0-4.75.
Typically with 1 dark band crossing opercle. Attains at
least 19 cm. One adult male taken at Aliwal Shoal, Natal;
northern Red Sea to Austral Ids. (See illustration on p.
449.)
145.8 Doryrhamphus multiannulatus
(Regan, 1903)
PLATE 23
Many-banded pipefish
Veelband-pypvis
Doryichthys multiannulatus Regan, 1903: 413, PI. 13, Fig. 3
(Mauritius). Dunckerocampus bentuviae Fowler & Steinitz, 1956: 273,
Fig. 22 (Eilat , Red Sea) ; Herald & Randall, 1972: 122. Dunckerocampus
dactyliophorus multiannulatus: Smith , 1963: 526*. Dunckerocampus
multiannulatus: Herald & Randall, 1972: 123. Doryrhamphus
(Dunckerocampus) multiannulatus: Dawson , 1985: 67*'
Rings 16+(19-20); D 20-23; P 18-22; A 4; subdorsal rings (1.0-0.25)+
(2.0-3.75) = 3.0-4.25.
Typically with 4-5 dark bands crossing opercle . Attains 18
cm. One subadult taken at Sodwana Bay; Red Sea, Comoro
Ids., Mauritius and Chagos Archipelago. (See illustration
on p. 449.)
Genus FestucalexWhitley, 1931
Six species; 1 in our area.
Red pipefish
145.9 Festucalex erythraeus
(Gilbert, 1905)
Raai pypvis
/chthyocampus erythraeus Gilbert, 1905: 613 , Fig. 238 (Hawaiian Ids.).
/chthyocampus townsendi: Smith, 1963: 539. Festucalex erythraeus: Dawson , 1977: 629*.
Rings (15-17)+(32-37); D 18-21; P 11-12; A 4; C 10; subdorsal rings
(1.0-0.5)+(3.5-5.0) = 4.25-5.75. Principal ridges of last 1-2 tail rings entire , not projecting laterad; brood area under tail , protective membranous
folds present, pouch plates little enlarged .
Genus Doryrhamphus Kaup, 1856
Ten species and 3 subspecies in 2 subgenera; 4 species in
our area, 1 endemic to southern Africa.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Snout with 1-5 dorsolateral rows of spines or spinules
on each side of median dorsal ridge; pouch folds present
in mature males; usually with striped colour pattern;
(subgenus Doryrhamphus) .. .. .. .. .... .... ...................... .. .. .. ...... 2
Ib Snout without rows of spinules ; pouch folds absent;
mostly with banded colour pattern; (subgenus
Dunckerocampus) ........................................ ....... ... .. ..... .... 3
2a Subdorsal trunk rings 5.0-3.0; upper half of side of
trunk plain or with broad dark stripe; subadult/adult
males with 1 ventrolateral bony projection on snout ....... D. excisus
2b Subdorsal trunk rings 2.5-2.0; upper half of side
of trunk with narrow dark stripe; subadult/adult
males with 2 ventrolateral bony projections on
2b
side of snout ................ .. ...... .. .... .. .................... D. bicarinatus
3a Head and body with ca. 20-40 dark bands; 6-13
bands on trunk .. .. ........................................ D. dactyliophorus
3b Head and body with ca. 58-113 dark bands; 19-36
bands on trunk ............ .. ........ .. .............. .... .. D. multiannulatus
145.5 Doryrhamphus bicarinatus
Dawson, 1981
Narrowstripe pipefish
Smalstreep-pypvis
Doryrhamphus bicarinatus Dawson , 1981: 13, Figs. 8, 10 (Sodwana
Bay, South Africa). Doryrhamphus (Doryrhamphus) bicarinatus: Dawson , 1985: 60* .
Rings 16+(16-17); D 21-23 ; A 4; subdorsal rings (2.5-2.0)+(2.75-3.0)
= 4.75-5 .75.
Attains 8cm. Sodwana Bay and Inhaca Id., Mozambique.
(See illustration on p. 449.)
145.6 Doryrhamphus excisus excisus
Kaup,1856
PLATE 23
Bluestripe pipefish
Bloustreepte-pypvis
Doryrhamphus excisus Kaup, 1856: 54 , PI. 3, Fig. 5 (locality not stated ,
probably Indian Ocean). Doryrhamphus melanopleura: Smith, 1953: 517,
No. 358a*; 1963: 530*. Doryrhamphus excisus excisus: Dawson, 1981 : 4*.
Doryrhamphus (Doryrhamphus) excisus excisus: Dawson, 1985: 61*.
Rings (17-19)+(13-17); D 21-29; A 4; subdorsal rings (5.0-3.0)+(1.754.5) = 5.75-8.25. D. excisus abbreviatus Dawson , 1981, with (15-16)+(1112) rings is the Red Sea subspecies, whereas D. excisus paulus Fritzsche,
1980, with (16-17)+(14-16) rings, is endemic to the Revillagigedo Ids ..
Mexico.
448
Attains 8 cm. Xora River Mouth to Mozambique; also
throughout Indo-Pacific region to west coast of tropical
America. (See illustration on p. 449.)
145.7 Doryrhamphus dactyliophorus
(Bleeker, 1853)
PLATE 23
Banded pipefish
Band-pypvis
Syngnathus dactyliophorus Bleeker, 1853: 506 (Batavia). Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus dactyliophorus: Smith, 1963: 526*' Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus: Herald & Randall, 1972: ,130. Doryrhamphus
(Dunckerocampus) dactyliophorus: Dawson , 1985: 67*.
Rings (15-16)+(18-22); D 20-26; P 18-22; A 4; subdorsal rings (1.750.0)+(2.0-4.75) = 3.0-4.75.
Typically with 1 dark band crossing opercle. Attains at
least 19 cm. One adult male taken at Aliwal Shoal, Natal;
northern Red Sea to Austral Ids. (See illustration on p.
449.)
145.8 Doryrhamphus multiannulatus
(Regan, 1903)
PLATE 23
Many-banded pipefish
Veelband-pypvis
Doryichthys multiannulatus Regan, 1903: 413, PI. 13, Fig. 3
(Mauritius). Dunckerocampus bentuviae Fowler & Steinitz, 1956: 273,
Fig. 22 (Eilat , Red Sea) ; Herald & Randall, 1972: 122. Dunckerocampus
dactyliophorus multiannulatus: Smith , 1963: 526*. Dunckerocampus
multiannulatus: Herald & Randall, 1972: 123. Doryrhamphus
(Dunckerocampus) multiannulatus: Dawson , 1985: 67*'
Rings 16+(19-20); D 20-23; P 18-22; A 4; subdorsal rings (1.0-0.25)+
(2.0-3.75) = 3.0-4.25.
Typically with 4-5 dark bands crossing opercle . Attains 18
cm. One subadult taken at Sodwana Bay; Red Sea, Comoro
Ids., Mauritius and Chagos Archipelago. (See illustration
on p. 449.)
Genus FestucalexWhitley, 1931
Six species; 1 in our area.
Red pipefish
145.9 Festucalex erythraeus
(Gilbert, 1905)
Raai pypvis
/chthyocampus erythraeus Gilbert, 1905: 613 , Fig. 238 (Hawaiian Ids.).
/chthyocampus townsendi: Smith, 1963: 539. Festucalex erythraeus: Dawson , 1977: 629*.
Rings (15-17)+(32-37); D 18-21; P 11-12; A 4; C 10; subdorsal rings
(1.0-0.5)+(3.5-5.0) = 4.25-5.75. Principal ridges of last 1-2 tail rings entire , not projecting laterad; brood area under tail , protective membranous
folds present, pouch plates little enlarged .