NO. 3 PIPEFISHES OF THE PACIFIC AMERICAN COASTS 63 



Key TO Species 



a. Anal fin absent: 



b. Dorsal fin rays 29 or less Bryx veleronis 



bb. Dorsal fin rays 36 or more Pseudophallus starksi 



bbb. Dorsal fin rays 30 to 35 incl Syngnathus elcapitanensis 



aa. Anal fin present: 



c. Body rings greater in number than tail rings; egg pouch on ven- 

 tral trunk surface .... Doryrhamphus melanopleura 



cc. Body rings nearly equal to number of tail rings; egg pouch on 

 ventral trunk surface Oostethus brachyurus 



ccc. Body rings at least one-third fewer in number than tail rings ; egg 

 pouch on ventral tail surface: 



d. Body rings 15 or 16, occasionally 14: 



e. Dorsal fin rays 19 to 24: 



/. Dorsal-in-head value .90 to 1.25; dorsal covering 6 or 

 more rings Syngnathus arctus 



ff. Dorsal-in-head value 1.26 to 1.55; dorsal never cover- 

 ing more than 5^2 rings . . Syngnathus coccineus 



ee. Dorsal fin rays 25 to 34: 



g. Dorsal fin beginning in front of, or over anus, never 

 behind anus: 



h. Dorsal-in-head value greater than 1.35 



. . Syngnathus tiueedliei 



hh. Dorsal-in-head value less than 1.35 .... 

 Syngnathus auliscus 



gg. Dorsal fin beginning one or more rings behind anus 



Syngnathus spicifer 



dd. Body rings 17 to 21: 



i. Median lateral cristae (ridges) continuous over anus; dor- 

 sal profile of trunk of mature females rising rapidly just 

 posterior of head . . . Leptonotus blainvillianus 



it. Median lateral cristae interrupted over anus; dorsal profile 

 of trunk nearly straight just posterior of head: 



j. Tail rings 34 or less . . Syngnathus bairdianus 



jj. Tail rings 35 or more: 



k. All cristae of trunk and tail distinctly carinate 

 Syngnathus acus 



