New evidence in the Red Sea, the family of Pipefish’s/ Seahorses have been found at our Hurghada diving sites.
The species Solegnathus includes the Pipefish as well. They are considered to be the link between the families of the pipefish and the seahorses. And the closely related species, the Syngnathoides, can now evidently be found for the first time in the Red Sea, in the area of Hurghada.
Half like a pipefish and half like the seahorse - that’s what our new guest looks like. The tailfin of the Double–ended Needlehorse, Syngnathoides biaculeatus is missing. The tail itself is very flexible and can be used to hold or fix the body in the seagrass or on the reef. The head and the front of this kind of fish looks like the shape of the seahorse.
Commonly they live between flat-leaved seagrass and they can be very shy. As adults, the Double-ended Needlehorses travel on the top of sea grasses (different kinds) mostly on the Sargassum seagrass rafts. In any kind of emergency, they are able to runaway on the top of the plants, outside of the water (at the surface). Later you will find them back under water in their plants.
During the courting of the male, the female shows noticeable markings on the lower trunk. After, the male carries the spawn free and under his body, usually around 300 eggs. The offspring can also be transported by the seagrass rafts over far distances. Commonly the Double–ended Needlehorse live between seagrasses and/ or plants. Depending on their habitat, a greenish–brown or grey colouring the fish display, they are always very well camouflaged.
Pipefish mainly feed on different crustaceans, fish larvals and larval stages of shrimps.
Post Your Event