COAST design - bookmark with photo of Great Pipefish.
Greater Pipefish
- Scientific name: Syngnathus acus
- Size: Up to 18 inches in length and 5oz in weight.
- Distribution: Fairly widespread along the western coast of Britain and all around Ireland. Less common along the eastern coasts of England and Scotland.
- Feeds on: Very small crustaceans, copepods and planktonic sea creatures.
- Description: Extremely long and slim body. The snout is very long with the mouth located at the end. A single dorsal fin is present in the middle of the body and pectoral and tail fins are very small. There is a raised crest above the head. The body is rigid and made up of relatively hard scales and ridges which act as a kind of armour to protect the fish. Colour is usually a light brown to yellow/green, with 10 – 20 darker stripes along the length of the body.