False pipefish
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 Solenostomus paradoxus
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Solenostomus armatus |
The false pipefishes or ghost pipefishes or tubemouth fishes are a small family Solenostomidae in the order Syngnathiformes. The family consists of just a single genus Solenostomus with five species.
The animals, none of which are longer than 15 cm, float near motionlessly, upside-down (i.e. with mouth facing down), around a background that makes them nearly impossible to see. They feed on tiny crustaceans, sucked inside through their long snout. They live in open waters except during breeding, when they find a coral reef or muddy bottom, changing color and shape to minimize visibility.
[edit] Species
- Solenostomus armatus (Weber, 1913) (Long-tailed Ghostpipefish)
- Solenostomus cyanopterus (Bleeker, 1854) (Robust Ghostpipefish, Blue-finned Ghostpipefish, Green Ghostpipefish)
- Solenostomus halimeda (Orr, Fritzsche and Randall, 2002)
- Solenostomus leptosoma (Tanaka, 1908) (Delicate Ghostpipefish)
- Solenostomus paradoxus (Pallas, 1770) (Ornate Ghostpipefish, Shortbodied Pipefish)
[edit] References
- Solenostomus (TSN 166440). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 6 June 2006.
- Tim Flannery and Peter Schouten. Amazing Animals: Extraordinary Creatures and the Fantastic Worlds They Inhabit. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2004. Page 116-117.
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