145: SYNGNATHIDAE (SEAHORSES & PIPEFISHES)
Rings (18-20)+(21-23); D 60-69; P 15-20; A 4; C 9; subdorsal rings
(12.0-10.0)+(3.0-4.5) = 14.0-15.75. Brood area under trunk, with nonconvergent lateral plates, without protective membranous folds.
Attains 21 cm. Coffee Bay and Mtata River, Transkei;
Zambezi River, Mozambique to Sabaki River, Kenya and
Madagascar. (See illustration on p. 455.)
145.24 Microphis brachyurus
(Bleeker, 1853)
PLATE 23
Short-tail pipefish
Kortstert-PYPvis
Syngnathus brachyurus Bleeker, 1853: 16 (Indonesia). Dorichthys
millepunctatus Kaup, 1856: 60 (Madagascar, Reunion). Microphis
brachyurus: Smith, 1934: 89*; SFSA No. 358*. Oostethus brachyurus:
Smith, 1963: 533*; Dawson, 1979: 465*. Microphis (Oostethus)
brachyurus: Dawson, 1984: 152.
Rings (17-22)+(20-26); D 37-54; P 17-23; A 4; C9; subdorsal rings (4.00.25)+(4.0-8.75) = 7.0-10.75. Brood area under trunk, with nonconvergent lateral plates, without protective membranous folds. The western Indian Ocean subspecies, M. b. millepunctatus (Kaup, 1856), is in
part characterised by the following counts: rings (19-22)+(20-22),
D 39-45, subdorsal rings (2.5-0.75)+(6.25-7.75).
Subadults and adults usually found in rivers, streams and
estuaries, planktonic juveniles sometimes oceanic; reaches
at least 215 mm. Rare in our area, Durban and Sodwana
estuary to Kenya, Madagascar, Reunion and Mauritius.
(See illustration on p. 455.)
Genus Nannocampus Gunther, 1870
Four species in 2 subgenera. In our area, 2 species in 2
subgenera.
KEY TO SPECIES
la P absent; subdorsal trunk rings 2.0-1.25; (subgenus
Nannocampus) ...................................................... N. elegans
Ib P present; subdorsal trunk rings 1.0-0.0; (subgenus
Mannarichthys) ...................................................... N. pictus
145.25 Nannocampus elegans
Smith,1961
Elegant pipefish
Elegante pypvis
Nannocampus (sp. nov.) Smith, 1951: 53. Nannocampus elegans Smith,
1953: 516, No. 355a* (Xora River mouth); 1963: 524*; Dawson, 1979: 492*.
Rings (12-14)+(40-42); D 21-24; C 10; subdorsal rings (2.0-1.25)+(3.54.5) = 5.25-6.25. Lateral trunk ridge deflected a little ventrad; median
dorsal snout ridge low, not elevated to or above dorsal rim of orbit; P and
A absent in sub adults and adults; P present in late embryos, probably
present in larvae.
Usually in tide pool and reef habitats; attains 12 cm.
Great Fish Point to Inhaca, Mozambique. (See illustration
on p. 455.)
456
145.26 Nannocampus pictus
(Duncker, 1915)
Reef pipefish
Rif-pypvis
Ichthyocampus pictus Duncker, 1915: 95 (Ceylon, Gulf of Mannar);
Smith, 1963: 527*. Mannarichthys pictus: Dawson, 1977: 608*. Nannocampus (Mannarichthys) pictus: Dawson, 1985: 149*.
Rings (13-14)+(34-41); D 18-22; P 5-7; C 10; subdorsal rings (1.00.0)+ (3.5-5.5) = 4.25-5.75. Lateral trunk ridge deflected towards inferior ridge near anal ring; male brood area under tail.
Tan to brown, some specimens with narrow dark streaks
or lines on head and body. Attains 10 cm. Frequents reef or
coral habitats to depths of ca. 9 m. One specimen from Sodwan a Bay; northern Mozambique and Kenya to Queensland, Australia. (See illustration on p. 455.)
Genus Phoxocampus Dawson, 1977
Three species; 1 in our area.
145.27 Phoxocampus belcheri
(Kaup, 1856)
Rock pipefish
Klip-pypvis
Ichthyocampus Belcheri Kaup, 1856: 30 ("China"); Smith, 1963: 527*.
Phoxocampus belcheri: Dawson, 1977: 615*.
Rings (16-17)+(29-32); D 20-24; P 11-13; A 3-4; C 10; subdorsal rings
(2.0-0.25)+(3.5-5.5) = 4.75-6.5. Lateral trunk ridge ends, without deflection, on 1st-5th (usually 3rd-4th) tail ring; male brood area under tail, with
plates and membranous folds. Attains 8 cm.
Usually in rock or coral habitats to depths of 25 m. One
specimen from Bizana coast (31 SS), Transkei; also central
Mozambique to Kenya and northern Red Sea to Fiji Ids.
(See illustration on p. 458.)
Genus Syngnathoides Bleeker, 1851
One species.
145.28 Syngnathoides biaculeatus
(Bloch, 1785)
Alligator pipefish
Kaaiman-pypvis
Syngnathus biaculeatus Bloch, 1785: 10, PI. 121, Figs. 1, 2, 2a (East
Indies). Syngnathoides biaculeatus: Smith, SFSA No. 357*; 1963: 523*.
Rings (15-18)+(ca. 40-54); D 38-48; P 20-24; A 4; subdorsal rings (2.00.25)+(7.5-10.5) = 8.75-11.75. Trunk compressed dorsoventrally,
broadest near middle of trunk length; inferior trunk ridges inconspicuous,
largely located on venter; tail prehensile; with or without conspicuous dermal flaps; brood area under trunk, the eggs carried exposed in membranous compartments.
Attains 29 cm. Frequents coastal shallows, often associated with "grass" or algal bottoms; juveniles occasionally found near surface. Knysna northwards; northern Red
Sea to Japan, Guam and Samoa. (See illustration on p.
458.)
Rings (18-20)+(21-23); D 60-69; P 15-20; A 4; C 9; subdorsal rings
(12.0-10.0)+(3.0-4.5) = 14.0-15.75. Brood area under trunk, with nonconvergent lateral plates, without protective membranous folds.
Attains 21 cm. Coffee Bay and Mtata River, Transkei;
Zambezi River, Mozambique to Sabaki River, Kenya and
Madagascar. (See illustration on p. 455.)
145.24 Microphis brachyurus
(Bleeker, 1853)
PLATE 23
Short-tail pipefish
Kortstert-PYPvis
Syngnathus brachyurus Bleeker, 1853: 16 (Indonesia). Dorichthys
millepunctatus Kaup, 1856: 60 (Madagascar, Reunion). Microphis
brachyurus: Smith, 1934: 89*; SFSA No. 358*. Oostethus brachyurus:
Smith, 1963: 533*; Dawson, 1979: 465*. Microphis (Oostethus)
brachyurus: Dawson, 1984: 152.
Rings (17-22)+(20-26); D 37-54; P 17-23; A 4; C9; subdorsal rings (4.00.25)+(4.0-8.75) = 7.0-10.75. Brood area under trunk, with nonconvergent lateral plates, without protective membranous folds. The western Indian Ocean subspecies, M. b. millepunctatus (Kaup, 1856), is in
part characterised by the following counts: rings (19-22)+(20-22),
D 39-45, subdorsal rings (2.5-0.75)+(6.25-7.75).
Subadults and adults usually found in rivers, streams and
estuaries, planktonic juveniles sometimes oceanic; reaches
at least 215 mm. Rare in our area, Durban and Sodwana
estuary to Kenya, Madagascar, Reunion and Mauritius.
(See illustration on p. 455.)
Genus Nannocampus Gunther, 1870
Four species in 2 subgenera. In our area, 2 species in 2
subgenera.
KEY TO SPECIES
la P absent; subdorsal trunk rings 2.0-1.25; (subgenus
Nannocampus) ...................................................... N. elegans
Ib P present; subdorsal trunk rings 1.0-0.0; (subgenus
Mannarichthys) ...................................................... N. pictus
145.25 Nannocampus elegans
Smith,1961
Elegant pipefish
Elegante pypvis
Nannocampus (sp. nov.) Smith, 1951: 53. Nannocampus elegans Smith,
1953: 516, No. 355a* (Xora River mouth); 1963: 524*; Dawson, 1979: 492*.
Rings (12-14)+(40-42); D 21-24; C 10; subdorsal rings (2.0-1.25)+(3.54.5) = 5.25-6.25. Lateral trunk ridge deflected a little ventrad; median
dorsal snout ridge low, not elevated to or above dorsal rim of orbit; P and
A absent in sub adults and adults; P present in late embryos, probably
present in larvae.
Usually in tide pool and reef habitats; attains 12 cm.
Great Fish Point to Inhaca, Mozambique. (See illustration
on p. 455.)
456
145.26 Nannocampus pictus
(Duncker, 1915)
Reef pipefish
Rif-pypvis
Ichthyocampus pictus Duncker, 1915: 95 (Ceylon, Gulf of Mannar);
Smith, 1963: 527*. Mannarichthys pictus: Dawson, 1977: 608*. Nannocampus (Mannarichthys) pictus: Dawson, 1985: 149*.
Rings (13-14)+(34-41); D 18-22; P 5-7; C 10; subdorsal rings (1.00.0)+ (3.5-5.5) = 4.25-5.75. Lateral trunk ridge deflected towards inferior ridge near anal ring; male brood area under tail.
Tan to brown, some specimens with narrow dark streaks
or lines on head and body. Attains 10 cm. Frequents reef or
coral habitats to depths of ca. 9 m. One specimen from Sodwan a Bay; northern Mozambique and Kenya to Queensland, Australia. (See illustration on p. 455.)
Genus Phoxocampus Dawson, 1977
Three species; 1 in our area.
145.27 Phoxocampus belcheri
(Kaup, 1856)
Rock pipefish
Klip-pypvis
Ichthyocampus Belcheri Kaup, 1856: 30 ("China"); Smith, 1963: 527*.
Phoxocampus belcheri: Dawson, 1977: 615*.
Rings (16-17)+(29-32); D 20-24; P 11-13; A 3-4; C 10; subdorsal rings
(2.0-0.25)+(3.5-5.5) = 4.75-6.5. Lateral trunk ridge ends, without deflection, on 1st-5th (usually 3rd-4th) tail ring; male brood area under tail, with
plates and membranous folds. Attains 8 cm.
Usually in rock or coral habitats to depths of 25 m. One
specimen from Bizana coast (31 SS), Transkei; also central
Mozambique to Kenya and northern Red Sea to Fiji Ids.
(See illustration on p. 458.)
Genus Syngnathoides Bleeker, 1851
One species.
145.28 Syngnathoides biaculeatus
(Bloch, 1785)
Alligator pipefish
Kaaiman-pypvis
Syngnathus biaculeatus Bloch, 1785: 10, PI. 121, Figs. 1, 2, 2a (East
Indies). Syngnathoides biaculeatus: Smith, SFSA No. 357*; 1963: 523*.
Rings (15-18)+(ca. 40-54); D 38-48; P 20-24; A 4; subdorsal rings (2.00.25)+(7.5-10.5) = 8.75-11.75. Trunk compressed dorsoventrally,
broadest near middle of trunk length; inferior trunk ridges inconspicuous,
largely located on venter; tail prehensile; with or without conspicuous dermal flaps; brood area under trunk, the eggs carried exposed in membranous compartments.
Attains 29 cm. Frequents coastal shallows, often associated with "grass" or algal bottoms; juveniles occasionally found near surface. Knysna northwards; northern Red
Sea to Japan, Guam and Samoa. (See illustration on p.
458.)