Viewing: Syngnathids
November 24, 2017
Syngnathid Hotspot
This photo of the Normanville SLSC was taken from the “Syngnathid Hotspot” site: – Normanville SLSC (Taken by David Muirhead) ‘Syngnathid Hotspot’ (colloquial term only) is that area of shallow sand and seagrass directly off of the Normanville SLSC (roughly a hectare in total area and max depth is 5m but most of the pipefish are at 2-3 m depth)... Read morePosted in Bony fishes, Citizen Science, Syngnathids | By David Muirhead
September 17, 2017
Pipefish encounters: One genus, two species, endless entertainment
Encounters of the kind below are not what most of us expect when at the beach for a swim and a bit of relaxation on a nice summer day. Which adds a special touch, for me at least. You can wade bare-footed at knee to waist depth off almost any white sandy beach in Gulf St Vincent and Spencer Gulf and see... Read morePosted in Bony fishes, Coastal species, Syngnathids | By David Muirhead
May 10, 2017
Normanville Jetty and Hotspot
David Muirhead says that the Normanville jetty is “a pretty poor excuse for a jetty”. “I have, however, found some surprisingly good photographic subjects on the piles at high tide, which is all the more titillating given the entire jetty can be above the water mark,” he says. (The present jetty is the second Normanville jetty. The first one was... Read morePosted in Bony fishes, Dive Reports, Jetties, Maritime History, Syngnathids | By Steve Reynolds
April 27, 2017
Shrimps, Seadragons and Siphonognathus argyrophanes
Shrimps, Seadragons and Siphonognathus argyrophanes (As told to Steve by David Muirhead) The fish Tubemouth, Siphonognathus argyrophanes, looks very pipefish-like, and many veteran divers incorrectly think that they are true pipefish. They are, however, in the same family as wrasses (Labridae), which includes the ‘rock cod’ or ‘parrotfish’, plus weed whiting and western blue groper (which strictly should be called... Read morePosted in Bony fishes, Citizen Science, Crustaceans, Syngnathids | By Steve Reynolds
April 10, 2017
Spotting Pipefish
David Muirhead and I had Facebook conversation about finding pipefish with one-time Society member Ron Bellchambers recently, after David had posted this photo of a Crested pipefish on his Facebook page: – Crested pipefish (a.k.a Briggs Crested pipefish) (Taken by David Muirhead) (This Crested pipefish is typically cryptic below detrital seagrass leaf on silty sand @ 4 m depth Second... Read morePosted in Bony fishes, Syngnathids | By Steve Reynolds
February 23, 2017
ID of pipefish found at Sellicks Beach
We recently received a request via Facebook from Robbert Alexander to identify a pipefish species that he found on Sellicks Beach. Robbert sent us a photo of the pipefish and we told him that it was “Most likely Stigmatopora argus, the spotted pipefish”. We also gave him a link to the relevant web page for the Australian Museum ( https://australianmuseum.net.au/spotted-pipefish-stigmatopora-argus... Read morePosted in Bony fishes, Coastal species, Syngnathids | By Steve Reynolds
February 3, 2016
Pipefish Photos from our Port Hughes Dive
As reported in the article titled “Our ‘Pipefish’ Dive at Port Hughes”, we held a dive at the Port Hughes jetty on 2nd January 2016. The divers on the day consisted of Peter Gower, Chris Hall, Kevin Smith & I. A friend of Chris, and Kevin’s mother, were also there with us. Kevin Smith reported seeing hundreds of juvenile Southern Gulf... Read morePosted in Bony fishes, Syngnathids | By Steve Reynolds
August 23, 2015
The wonderful and diverse syngnathids of Normanville, South Australia
I am a research associate at the California Academy of Sciences where I study the evolutionary relationships among seahorse, seadragons, and pipefish in the family Syngnathidae. I employ DNA sequencing, morphological characters, and underwater photography to gain a better understanding of these relationships which are largely unresolved in this family, and therefore is in need of a major revision which... Read morePosted in Bony fishes, Coastal species, Dive Reports, Jetties, Species lists, Syngnathids | By Graham Short
April 7, 2006
The Weedy seadragon and its protection
For several years we have had the following message on our website in the “Issues” section. Now that the focus of our previous issue has reached a successful conclusion, it is time to move on to the next issue. Previously we wanted to have the Leafy Seadragon adopted as the South Australian fish logo. The former State Government adopted the... Read morePosted in Syngnathids | By Marine Life Society of South Australia Inc.
February 16, 2006
State Government to protect seadragons & sea horses
The Rann Government has moved to deliver greater protection for sea horses, pipefish and weedy seadragons in South Australian waters by declaring them protected species, like the leafy seadragon. Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister, Rory McEwen said today the decision reflected a commitment by the Premier at a Community Cabinet meeting last year to protect the weedy seadragon. “It also... Read morePosted in Fisheries, Syngnathids | By Marine Life Society of South Australia Inc.