black sea red data book - Department of Biology

Syngnathus typhle (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms: Syngnathus virids Risso, 1810; Syngnathus argentatus Pallas, 1811;
Syngnathus pyrois Risso, 1826; Syngnathus typhle Di Caporiaceo, 1948; Syngnathus
typhle argentatus Slastenenko, 1956; Syngnathus rotundatus Totonnese, 1970.
Common names: Engl: Deep-smotedpipefish; Rom. Ac de mare; Russ: Morskaya
igla; Turk: Deniz ignesi.
Taxonomic description. Body very elongate and straight, with conspicuous
longitudinal edges; long, high and strong snout, flattened from side to side; mouth,
small and oblique, situated on superior tip of snout; caudal region very long, non-
prehensile. Seven longitudinal ridges along the body: two parallel to the back line,
two lateral, two parallel to the ventral line and one mid-ventral. In the caudal region,
the mid-ventral edge disappears, and the two laterals approach the sub-dorsal ones;
dorsal fin begins above or near anus; pectoral fins short and rounded; no ventral fins;
caudal and anal fins reduced. Males with two lateral folds in caudal region which
approach each other on median line of head, producing an incubation chamber. Here,
the eggs are spawned and develop. Ventral wall of head near incubation region
intensely vascularized. Body greenish or brown-reddish, generally with dark spots
and stripes.
IUCN Status
World level:
Black Sea Regional level:
Subregion level: VU
Order SYNGNATHIFORMES
Family SYNGNATHIDAE
Distribution, Habitat type. A marine pelagic fish, able to survive in fresh ater.
Living only between plants, especially Zostera. Common throughout the Black Sea
littoral and Azov Sea; also recorded in lakes Razelm-Sinoe.
Critical habitats. Littoral zones of north-eastern Black Sea.
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