The IUCN SSC Seahorse, Pipefish and Seadragon Specialist Group focuses on a quirky group of families.
Seahorses, Pipefishes & Seadragons (Syngnathidae)
Syngnathidae, our largest family, includes approximately 300 species of seahorses, pipefishes, and seadragons. Seahorses have evolved to swim upright in the water and make use of a prehensile tail to anchor themsleves to seagrass, corals, and other holdfasts. Pipefishes and seahorses are found globally in tropical and temperate waters, feeding primarily on small crustaceans by sneaking up on them.
Ghost Pipefishes (Solenostomidae)
Closely related to pipefishes and seahorses, the ghost pipefish are a much more ornate group that often dazzles SCUBA divers in the Indo-Pacific. They are extremely well-camouflaged, and tend to feed on small crustaceans using ambush tactics.
Trumpetfishes (Aulostomidae)
This family consists of three species with trumpet-like mouths and are some of the largest species the SPS SG focus on. These reef-dwelling creatures are distributed around the world in tropical and subtropical areas. They feed on other fish, and try to blend in with schooling species or seagrasses in order to ambush prey.
Snipefishes (Centriscidae)
The snipefishes are an interesting group, consisting of about a dozen species that live in coastal or pelagic regions of tropical and temperate waters around the world. They feed on zooplankton and have the curious habit of swimming upright in the water column.
Cornetfishes (Fistulariidae)
As the name implies, these fish are very similar to the trumpetfish, though a bit larger and longer. They are distributed globally around seawalls and coral reefs. Their main prey items include smaller fish, crustaceans and other zooplankton.
Banner image of Leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques) by Gaetano Gargiulo / Guylian Seahorses of the World
[Page updated Oct 2023]