Solenostomus

Solenostomus; Temporal range: 55.8–0 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Eocene to Present[1]
	Solenostomus paradoxus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Syngnathiformes
Superfamily:	Syngnathoidea
Family:	Solenostomidae; Bonaparte, 1846
Genus:	Solenostomus; Lacépède, 1803
Type species
	Fistularia paradoxa; Pallas,, 1770
Species
	See text
Synonyms
	Solenichthys Bleeker, 1864; Solenostomatichthys Bleeker, 1874

Solenostomus, also known as ghost pipefishes, false pipefishes or tubemouth fishes, is a genus of fishes in the order Syngnathiformes. Solenostomus is the only genus in the family Solenostomidae, and includes six currently recognized species.[2] Ghostpipefishes are related to pipefishes and seahorses. They are found in tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific.[3]

The animals, none of which are longer than 15 centimetres (5.9 in), float near motionlessly, with the mouth facing downwards, around a background that makes them nearly impossible to see. They feed on tiny crustaceans, sucked inside through their long snout. They live in open waters except during breeding, when they find a coral reef or muddy bottom, changing color and shape to minimize visibility.[3]

In many respects, they are similar to the pipefishes, but can be distinguished by the presence of pelvic fins, a prominent, spiny, dorsal fin, and star-shaped plates on the skin. Unlike true pipefish, female ghostpipefishes use their enlarged pelvic fins to brood their eggs until they hatch.[3]

Ornate ghostpipefish, Solenostomus paradoxus.

Species

Solenostomus armatus M. C. W. Weber, 1913 (long-tailed ghost pipefish or armored pipefish)
Solenostomus cyanopterus Bleeker, 1854 (robust ghost pipefish)
Solenostomus halimeda J. W. Orr, Fritzsche & J. E. Randall, 2002 (Halimeda ghost pipefish)
Solenostomus leptosoma S. Tanaka (I), 1908 (delicate ghost pipefish)
Solenostomus paegnius Jordan & Thompson, 1914 (roughsnout ghost pipefish)
Solenostomus paradoxus (Pallas, 1770) (ornate ghost pipefish or harlequin ghost pipefish)

gollark: It needs to be better.

gollark: It always has.

gollark: Fuse the nitrogen in the air into somethingorother.

gollark: How about a magic box which makes power from dirt?

gollark: Why not make...A CREATIVE CAPACITOR?

References

Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
Family Solenostomidae FishBase. Accessed 1 February 2015.
Orr, J.W. & Pietsch, T.W. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 169. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.

"Solenostomus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 6 June 2006.
Tim Flannery and Peter Schouten. Amazing Animals: Extraordinary Creatures and the Fantastic Worlds They Inhabit. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2004. Page 116-117.
Orr, JW and Fritzsche, RA. 1993. Revision of the Ghost Pipefishes, Family Solenostomidae (Teleostei: Syngnathoidei). Copeia 1993:168-182.

External links

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[1] Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Retrieved 8 January 2008.

[FishBase-2] Family Solenostomidae FishBase. Accessed 1 February 2015.

[EoF-3] Orr, J.W. & Pietsch, T.W. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 169. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.