Fish
Greater Pipefish
Syngnathus acus
Among the green blades of an eelgrass bed, a greater pipefish hangs almost vertically, so thin and so green that it is nearly invisible.
Overview
The greater pipefish, Syngnathus acus, is a Least Concern relative of the seahorse that lives in seagrass and seaweed beds from Norway to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Its long body, tube-like snout, and pregnant fathers make it the best-known pipefish of European waters.
A pregnant father without a pouch
Unlike the male seahorse, the male pipefish has no fully closed pouch, and instead carries his eggs attached to the underside of his body, exposed to the water until they hatch.
Status
Least Concern, though it depends on healthy seagrass beds.
Greater Pipefish: common questions
Is a pipefish related to a seahorse?
Yes, they are close relatives, sharing a bony armour, a small mouth, and a male that carries the eggs.
Which parent carries the eggs?
The male, who receives the eggs from the female and carries them on the underside of his body until they hatch.
How does a pipefish feed?
It has a long, tube-shaped snout with a small mouth at the end, which it uses to suck in small prey like a pipette.
Where is the greater pipefish found?
It lives among seagrass and seaweed in coastal waters from Norway to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.