Submitted by admin on April 22, 2009 - 22:03
PIPE FISH, LONG-BEAKED
(Stigmatophora longi-rostris).
This is slender with the tail tapered to a fine point. The mouth is long and tubular with tiny jaws at the extreme tip. The pipe fishes are like stretched out sea horses, but they always remain thus and the tail is not prehensile. The figured species is usually 6 to 8 in. in length, but it sometimes grows up to 14 in. It is greenish or brownish with two rows of dark-brown dots along each side. This species is common in Wellington Harbour and also occurs around Auckland. It is found hiding amongst masses of seaweeds, but a more abundant species, obtainable at Auckland in the same manner, is the smaller Ichthyocampus filum, which is brownish with black crossbars, and has a much shorter beak.