Sorry, we could not identify you   Your password was sent to you  
Log in

Please, enter your email  psw 


remember me




create an account


|


password forgotten?
password forgotten?

Please, enter your email 


log in


|


create an account
  log in   contact
HomeSeahorse QuestUW Biology tripsContribute to Hippo-ATLASHippo-HABITAT formYou want to HELP?Links
Secured reports
Search

Seahorses and Pipefishes
  • Hippo News
  • Seahorse info
    • Identify seahorses
    • Seahorse's sex
    • Seahorses' habitat
    • Seahorse distribution
  • Pipefish info
    • Identify Syngnathus species
    • Identify Entelurus and Nerophis species
    • Pipefish distribution
  • Scientific information
Hippo-ATLAS
    • What is Hippo-ATLAS?
    • Contribute to Hippo-ATLAS
    • Photo-Best-of
    • Seahorse photos
      • Short-snouted seahorse
      • Long-snouted seahorse
      • Drab seahorse
    • Pipefish photos
      • Greater pipefish
      • Narrow-snouted pipefish
      • Variegated pipefish
      • Lesser pipefish
      • Black-striped pipefish
      • Espiguette pipefish
      • Adriatic pipefish
      • Lagoon swimming pipefish
      • Atlantic deep-snouted pipefish
      • Mediterranean deep-snouted pipefish
      • Adriatic deep-snouted pipefish
      • Snake pipefish
      • Straightnose pipefish
      • Worm pipefish
      • Spotted worm pipefish
    • Arcachon Bay Syngnathidae
Hippo-HABITAT
    • What is Hippo-HABITAT?
    • Contribute to Hippo-HABITAT
      • The protocol
      • What equipment?
      • Tricks and advice
    • Last Hippo-HABITAT records
      • HH-2012-08-01-LIMOUZIN Hervé-1
      • HH-2012-07-23-LIMOUZIN Hervé-1
      • HH-2012-07-18-LIMOUZIN Hervé-1
      • HH-2012-06-28-LEPAIS Lauriane-7
      • HH-2012-06-28-LEPAIS Lauriane-4
      • HH-2012-05-01-JANNET vincent-1
      • HH-2012-04-25-JANNET vincent-1
      • HH-2011-10-30-LOUISY Patrick-1
Hippo-PROJECTS
    • RHIZOMA
      • What is RHIZOMA?
      • Distribution of RHIZOMA records
      • Brittany and Loire region Syngnathidae
UnderWater Biology Trips
    • Next UW Biology trips
    • 2016 Manado Fish Watch mission
    • 2015 Lake Tanganyika mission
    • 2013 Moalboal Fish Watch mission
    • 2012 Indonesia Fish Watch mission
    • 2011 Djibouti Fish Watch mission
    • 2011 Cerbère-Banyuls mission
    • 2011 Nosy Be mission
    • 2010 Fish Watch Djibouti
    • 2010 Lessepsian fish in Turkey
Bio Underwater Image Bank
    • An underwater photo data base
Documents and information
    • Syngnathid documents and files
      • Syngnathid survey field documents
      • Syngnathid reports
    • News history
      • News History 2012
      • News history 2011
    • UW Biology trip downloadable documents
    • Fish Watch downloadable documents
 
Identify Entelurus and Nerophis species

Europe and Mediterranean species


According to present knowledge, some 14 pipefish species are recognized in Europe, Mediterranean and Black Sea. We are presenting here the four species of Entelurus and Nerophis known along the European and Mediterranean coasts.


NB To download our pipefish identification guide (PDF in French), click here.


How to recognize Entelurus and Nerophis ?


Entelurus pipefish have a very small caudal fin, almost invisible.
Nerophis do not have any caudal fin : their tail is threadlike.
...

The males of both species carry their eggs stuck below their abdomen, without the protection of a pouch.


Snake pipefish

Entelurus aequoreus

Size: 35-50 cm (max. 60 cm). Western Europe.


© Photos & drawings P. Louisy

ID criteria:
• A slightly concave forehead from snout to nape.
• Smooth body ; reduced caudal fin
• Light vertical stripes with dark oulines.
• A fine dark line from gill to snout, across eye.

To consult our photo database on the snake pipefish, click here.


Straightnose pipefish

Nerophis ophidion

Size: 22-25 cm (max. 30 cm). European, Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts.


© Photos & drawings P. Louisy

ID criteria:
• Threadlike body; no caudal fin.
• Short snout in line with head profile.
• Can use its prehensile tail to hook on seagrass.
• This animal is very hard to spot.

To consult our photo database on the straightnose pipefish, click here.


Worm pipefish

Nerophis lumbriciformis

Size: 12-15 cm (max. 17 cm). Western Europe ; a few records on French Mediterranean coasts.


© Photos & drawings P. Louisy

ID criteria:
• Thick short snout, pointing upwards.
• Smooth body ; no caudal fin.
• One or several white dots under the adult’s eye.
• Generally hidden under rocks or vegetation.

To consult our photo database on the worm pipefish, click here.


Spotted worm pipefish

Nerophis maculatus

Size: 20-25 cm (max. 30 cm). Mediterranean coasts ; recorded in Southern Portugal.


© Photos & drawings P. Louisy

ID criteria:
• Snout slightly bent upwards.
• Smooth body ; reduced caudal fin.
• A white intermittent line from gill to eye and end of snout.

To consult our photo database on the spotted worm pipefish, click here.
 
 
Read more
Close the text
 
by NetFolio Bookmark and Share
Scroll