145: SYNGNATHIDAE (SEAHORSES & PIPEFISHES)
Rings 11 +(38-42); D 19-21; P 17; A 4; subdorsal rings 2+ 2, coronet low
and retrorse, supraorbital spines large.
In our area, reported only from Morgan Bay (near Kei
River mouth); Zanzibar and Indo-West Pacific area.
145.20 Hippocampus trimacu/atus: 11.5 em measured from top of head to
bend in tail (after Lee, 1983).
145.21 Hippocampus whitei
Bleeker, 1855
Crowned seahorse
Kroon-seeperdjie
Hippocampus whitei Bleeker, 1855: 17, 30 ("New Holland" = New
South Wales, Australia). Hippocampus novae-hollandiae: Barnard, 1927:
294; Smith, SFSA No. 346; 1963: 518*.
Rings 1l +(32-36); D 16-17; P 15-16; A 4; subdorsal rings 3+ 1, snout
length about equals postorbital length; small spines on rings.
145.21 Hippocampus whitei: 60 em female (Inhaea Id.).
454
Reaches at least 8 cm. Recorded from Natal and southern
Mozambique to depths of 46 m; also southeastern
Australia.
Genus Micrognathus Duncker, 1912
Five species; 1 in our area.
145.22 Micrognathus andersonii
(Bleeker, 1858)
Shortnose pipefish
Kortneus-pypvis
Syngnathus Andersonii Bleeker, 1858: 465 (Kokos Id. (Indonesia».
Micrognathus brevirostris (non Riippell): Duncker, 1915: 75 (in part);
Smith, 1952: 1024; 1953: 517, No. 357a*; 1963: 533* (in part, South
African records only). Micrognathus andersonii: Dawson, 1982: 672*.
Rings (15-17)+(28-32); D 17-24; P 11-13; A 3; subdorsal rings (1.750.25)+(2.5-5.0) = 3.75-5.75. Principal ridges of posterior tail rings usually
neither angled laterad nor ending in protruding hook-like points. This
species has been confused with M. brevirostris (Riippell), which, though
similar to M. andersonii, has 14-16 trunk rings and further differs in coloration and other features.
Pale to dark brown, often with 2-3 dark blotches on sides
of trunk. Attains 8 cm. Tidepool and reef habitats from
Knysna and vicinity to Xora River; also northern Mozambique to Kenya, Madagascar, and from northern Red Sea to
southern Japan and Samoa. (See illustration on p. 455).
Genus Microphis Kaup, 1853
Eighteen species in 5 subgenera; revised by Dawson
(1984). Represented in our area by 2 species in 2 subgenera.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Total subdorsal rings 14-16; Drays 60-69;
(subgenus Belonichthys) ....................................... M. fluviatilis
Ib Total subdorsal rings 7-11; D 37-54; (subgenus
Oostethus) ...................................................... M. brachyurus
145.23 Microphis f/uviatilis
(Peters, 1852)
Freshwater pipefish
Varswater-pypvis
Syngnathus fluviatilis Peters, 1852: 685 (Tette, Zambezi River, Mozambique). Syngnathus Zambezensis Peters, 1855: 465. Belonichthys
(Syngnathus) zambezensis: Peters, 1868: 108*. Belonichthys fluviatilis:
Barnard, 1925: 286; Smith, SFSA No. 359*; 1963: 528*. Microphis
(Belonichthys) fluviatilis: Dawson, 1984: 137*.
Rings 11 +(38-42); D 19-21; P 17; A 4; subdorsal rings 2+ 2, coronet low
and retrorse, supraorbital spines large.
In our area, reported only from Morgan Bay (near Kei
River mouth); Zanzibar and Indo-West Pacific area.
145.20 Hippocampus trimacu/atus: 11.5 em measured from top of head to
bend in tail (after Lee, 1983).
145.21 Hippocampus whitei
Bleeker, 1855
Crowned seahorse
Kroon-seeperdjie
Hippocampus whitei Bleeker, 1855: 17, 30 ("New Holland" = New
South Wales, Australia). Hippocampus novae-hollandiae: Barnard, 1927:
294; Smith, SFSA No. 346; 1963: 518*.
Rings 1l +(32-36); D 16-17; P 15-16; A 4; subdorsal rings 3+ 1, snout
length about equals postorbital length; small spines on rings.
145.21 Hippocampus whitei: 60 em female (Inhaea Id.).
454
Reaches at least 8 cm. Recorded from Natal and southern
Mozambique to depths of 46 m; also southeastern
Australia.
Genus Micrognathus Duncker, 1912
Five species; 1 in our area.
145.22 Micrognathus andersonii
(Bleeker, 1858)
Shortnose pipefish
Kortneus-pypvis
Syngnathus Andersonii Bleeker, 1858: 465 (Kokos Id. (Indonesia».
Micrognathus brevirostris (non Riippell): Duncker, 1915: 75 (in part);
Smith, 1952: 1024; 1953: 517, No. 357a*; 1963: 533* (in part, South
African records only). Micrognathus andersonii: Dawson, 1982: 672*.
Rings (15-17)+(28-32); D 17-24; P 11-13; A 3; subdorsal rings (1.750.25)+(2.5-5.0) = 3.75-5.75. Principal ridges of posterior tail rings usually
neither angled laterad nor ending in protruding hook-like points. This
species has been confused with M. brevirostris (Riippell), which, though
similar to M. andersonii, has 14-16 trunk rings and further differs in coloration and other features.
Pale to dark brown, often with 2-3 dark blotches on sides
of trunk. Attains 8 cm. Tidepool and reef habitats from
Knysna and vicinity to Xora River; also northern Mozambique to Kenya, Madagascar, and from northern Red Sea to
southern Japan and Samoa. (See illustration on p. 455).
Genus Microphis Kaup, 1853
Eighteen species in 5 subgenera; revised by Dawson
(1984). Represented in our area by 2 species in 2 subgenera.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Total subdorsal rings 14-16; Drays 60-69;
(subgenus Belonichthys) ....................................... M. fluviatilis
Ib Total subdorsal rings 7-11; D 37-54; (subgenus
Oostethus) ...................................................... M. brachyurus
145.23 Microphis f/uviatilis
(Peters, 1852)
Freshwater pipefish
Varswater-pypvis
Syngnathus fluviatilis Peters, 1852: 685 (Tette, Zambezi River, Mozambique). Syngnathus Zambezensis Peters, 1855: 465. Belonichthys
(Syngnathus) zambezensis: Peters, 1868: 108*. Belonichthys fluviatilis:
Barnard, 1925: 286; Smith, SFSA No. 359*; 1963: 528*. Microphis
(Belonichthys) fluviatilis: Dawson, 1984: 137*.