Histiogamphelus
Encyclopedia
Histiogamphelus is a small genus
of fish
with only two species.
The genus Histiogamphelus belongs to the family Syngnathidae
and its species are commonly called crested pipefish
. This genus is similar in appearance to pipefish
, but it is more closely related to seahorses. Histiogamphelus also has a characteristic "crest" on the snout, distinguishing it from pipefish
. Their brown-tan coloration mimics dead sea grass as their habitat is covered in Posidonia
sea grass, and they hide among it similarly to the leafy sea dragon
(Phycodurus eques). Like all syngnathids, the male brood
s the eggs in a brood pouch (in this genus located under the tail).
Histiogamphelus briggsi (McCullough 1914) and Histiogamphelus cristatus (Macleay 1881) are the two known species
of the genus
Histiogamphelus. They are commonly referred to as Briggs's crested pipefish (H. briggsi) and Macleay's crested pipefish or Rhino pipefish (H. cristatus) and are found along the subtropical coast
of southern Australia
to Tasmania
, in the eastern Indian Ocean
. Generally, H. briggsi has a darker coloration than H. cristatus and both are around 10 in
(25 cm) when full grown.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
with only two species.
The genus Histiogamphelus belongs to the family Syngnathidae
Syngnathidae
Syngnathidae is a family of fish which includes the seahorses, the pipefishes, and the weedy and leafy sea dragons. The name is derived from Greek, meaning "fused jaw" - syn meaning fused or together, and gnathus meaning jaws. This fused jaw trait is something the entire family has in common...
and its species are commonly called crested pipefish
Pipefish
Pipefishes or pipe-fishes are a subfamily of small fishes, which, together with the seahorses, form the family Syngnathidae.-Anatomy:...
. This genus is similar in appearance to pipefish
Pipefish
Pipefishes or pipe-fishes are a subfamily of small fishes, which, together with the seahorses, form the family Syngnathidae.-Anatomy:...
, but it is more closely related to seahorses. Histiogamphelus also has a characteristic "crest" on the snout, distinguishing it from pipefish
Pipefish
Pipefishes or pipe-fishes are a subfamily of small fishes, which, together with the seahorses, form the family Syngnathidae.-Anatomy:...
. Their brown-tan coloration mimics dead sea grass as their habitat is covered in Posidonia
Posidonia
Posidonia is a genus of flowering plants. It contains two to nine species of marine plants , found in the seas of the Mediterranean and around the south coast of Australia....
sea grass, and they hide among it similarly to the leafy sea dragon
Leafy sea dragon
The leafy seadragon or Glauert's seadragon, Phycodurus eques, is a marine fish in the family Syngnathidae, which also includes the seahorses. It is the only member of the genus Phycodurus. It is found along the southern and western coasts of Australia. The name is derived from the appearance, with...
(Phycodurus eques). Like all syngnathids, the male brood
Brood
Brood may refer to:* Brood, a collective term for offspring* Brooding, the incubation of bird eggs by their parents* Brood , the young of a beehive*Brood: to think deeply about something, often in a dark or melancholy manner....
s the eggs in a brood pouch (in this genus located under the tail).
Histiogamphelus briggsi (McCullough 1914) and Histiogamphelus cristatus (Macleay 1881) are the two known species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Histiogamphelus. They are commonly referred to as Briggs's crested pipefish (H. briggsi) and Macleay's crested pipefish or Rhino pipefish (H. cristatus) and are found along the subtropical coast
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
of southern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
to Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, in the eastern Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. Generally, H. briggsi has a darker coloration than H. cristatus and both are around 10 in
Inch
An inch is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, and United States customary units. There are 36 inches in a yard and 12 inches in a foot...
(25 cm) when full grown.