Can anyone confirm this pipe fish species? close to Trachyrhmapus serratus or Halicampus grayi?
This is the Mud pipefish Halicampus grayi Kaup 1856 (family Syngnathidae), judging from the characters I can see on the photograph. The two black spots are also typical for adults of that species.
The species differs from Trachyrhamphus spp. in the head and snout shape, the median dorsal snout ridge, the first trunk ring which is not much longer than the second, and should also have 10 caudal fin rays (I cannot count this character well on the photograph).
Halicampus grayi is widespread in the Indo-West Pacific, and mainly lives on mud bottoms, from shallow water to 100 m depth.
This is the Mud pipefish Halicampus grayi Kaup 1856 (family Syngnathidae), judging from the characters I can see on the photograph. The two black spots are also typical for adults of that species.
The species differs from Trachyrhamphus spp. in the head and snout shape, the median dorsal snout ridge, the first trunk ring which is not much longer than the second, and should also have 10 caudal fin rays (I cannot count this character well on the photograph).
Halicampus grayi is widespread in the Indo-West Pacific, and mainly lives on mud bottoms, from shallow water to 100 m depth.
Thank you Dr Fricke.. Yes, there are 2 characteristic black spots.
Did not know it had another common name Mud pipefish though!!
I took the vernacular name (which I find quite characteristic) from Kuiter's seahorse and pipefish book:
Kuiter, R. H. 2009: Seahorses and their relatives. Aquatic Photographics, Seaford, Australia: 1-333. [ISBN 978-0-9775372-1-1.]
Thanks so much!!! In India, my word, there will be atleast 12-13 vernacular names because of the diversity of regional languages! Moreover, we consider English names as common names. Thank you again!
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