Sorry to say, I have no knoledge on Pipe-fishes. with best regards,

Hi, It is not always easy identifying a pipefish from a photo only. As far as I can see, it has a fully developed caudal fin (not a rudimentary one) and it is not longer than 9 cm? If so it is Cosmocampus investigatoris, which has previously been recorded from Kuwait. Cheers, Fareed

The specimen in the lower photograph has ca. 31 dorsal-fin rays, so it is probably not C. investigatoris which is supposed to have 19-24 dorsal-fin rays.

It is difficult to guess what it actually is, as several important characters are not visible in the photographs. It might be the Makran pipefish Bryx analicarens Duncker 1915 which has 27-33 dorsal-fin rays. Some species of Corythoichthys may have more than 30 dorsal-fin rays as well.

Dear Drs. Sakai, Fareed and Fricke,

Many thanks! I agree it is difficult to ID from a photograph.

@ Dr. Fricke - I will try and  upload a better photo soon.  Thanks! again.

Best Regards,

M. Nithyanandan

I see that higher resolution photographs have been uploaded, in the previous ones I was unable to count the dorsal fin rays. I also had thought that I saw a caudal fin, which now seems not be present. If so, I agree with Ronald that it is probably Bryx analicarens. Do you remember the approximate length and did you collect the specimen?

Dear Dr. Fareed,

I collected the specimen and preserved it in absolute alcohol. Total length is 4.7cm.

Best Regards,

M.Nithyanandan

Dear Dr. Fareed and Fricke,

Please see attached a few more photos of the live and dead pipe fish, may be this can be of some help as well.

Best Regards,

M. Nithyanandan

Though I cannot clearly see the absence of the anal fin on the photographs, I am pretty sure that this is the Macran pipefish Bryx analicarens Duncker 1915.

The species was previously reported from Kuwait; see Dawson 1981: 94.

Dawson, C. E. 1981. Notes on four pipefishes (Syngnathidae) from the Persian Gulf. Copeia 1981 (no. 1): 87-95.

PS: The genus Bryx does have a caudal fin, so no problem there.

Dear Dr. Fricke,

Many thanks! for confirming the ID.

Could you please send me a pdf copy of Dawson, 1981 if available with you.

Best Regards,

M. Nithyanandan

Thanks, Ronald for noting that Bryx does have a caudal fin. Unfortunately, here in Qatar I neither have access to Dawson's book on Syngnathidae nor his papers. I used our FAO Persian Gulf Guide (Carpenter et al. 1977, which I have uploaded on Research Gate) with the attached illustration. In the key it reads "no anal fin" (should be no caudal fin). It seems we either got the wrong species illustrated or the artist drew a damaged specimen. This is also the only illustration of Bryx analicarens in FishBase.

Dear Dr. Fareed,

Thanks! for your message. 

Best Regards,

M. Nithyanandan