Long-snouted pipefish

The long-snouted pipefish (Stigmatopora macropterygia) is a pipefish of the family Syngnathidae

Physical description Its length is up to and is eel-like in appearance

Breeding The male is ovoviviparous and carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail. Males probably brood when about 24-25 cm in length.

Distribution It is found around New Zealand including the Auckland Islands, generally at depths of less than 7.5 m.Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) It can be found in intertidal algal beds, and also on wharves and pilings.

Conservation status In 2016 its status in The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species was listed as Least Concern.

See also Longsnout pipefish, Leptonotus norae

References