Snake pipefish
D-Grosse Schlangennadel; GB-Snake pipefish; DK-Adderzeenaald; PL-Wężyna; EST-Sargassumnõel; RU-Zmeevidnaya ryba-igla; FIN-Merineula; S-Större havsnål
Characters
1) Snout longer than half of length of head.
2) Remarkable stripe along eye reaching the snout.
3) Tail pointed, with small, hardly visible caudal fin.
4) Anus on height of end of dorsal fin.
●) Pectoral and pelvic fins absent.
●) Body colouration with blue vertical stripes.
Maximum up to 60 cm length.
Similar species
Straightnose pipefish - snout shorter; anus on height of origin of dorsal fin; caudal fin completely absent.
Lesser pipefish - snout slightly longer; caudal and pectoral fins present.
Great pipefish - long snout; caudal and pectoral fins present.
Deep-snouted pipefish - snouth laterally compressed and usually deep; caudal and pectoral fins present.
Biology
In-between algae and plant material, but occurs also in free water; often in 5 to 30 m, maximal down to 100 m depth. Spawns in summer; the female attaches 400 to 1000 eggs on the abdomen of several males.Diet
Feeds on small crustaceans and fish fry.Importance
Of no commercial importance.Entelurus aequoreus
