SYNGNATHID^S. 259 



Genus II — Syngnathus, Artedi. 



Corythoichthys, Trachyrhamphus and Halicampus, Kaup. 



Body with more or less distinct ridges : the dorsal edge of the trunk not being 

 continuous with that on its caudal portion. Humeral bones firmly united into the 

 breast ring. The opercle may be entirely crossed by a distinct ridge or only at its 

 base, or the ridge may be absent. Dorsal fin nearly or quite opposite to the vent : its 

 base elevated or not so : pectorals well developed : caudal present. An egg-pouch on 

 the tail of the males, the eggs being covered by cutaneous folds. 



Geographical distribution. — Seas of temperate and tropical regions, some 

 species entering fresh waters. 



3. Syngnathus acus, Plate CXLIV, figs. 1, 2 (young). 



Acus, Ray, Pise. p. 47 ; Sibbald, Scotia, 24, t. xix. Syngnathus, sp. Artedi ; 

 Synon. p. 2, no. 3, Gen. p. 1, no. 2, Spec. p. 3, no. 3; Gronov. no. 172. Longer 

 pipe-fish, Pennant, Brit. Zool. (1776) iii, p. 138, pi. xxiii (Ed. 1812) iii, p. 184, 

 pi. xxvi. 



Syngnathus acus, Linn. Syst. Wat. i, p. 416 ; Bl. t. xci, f . 2 ; Bonnaterre, Ency. 

 Ich. p. 31, pi. xxi, f. 71 ; Lacep. ii, p. 39, pi. 2, f . 1 ; Shaw, v, t. clxxix ; Bl. Schn. 

 p. 514 ; Gmel. Linn. p. 1455 ; Turton, p. 116 ; Risso, Ich. Nice, p. 63 ; Flem. Brit. 

 An. p. 175; Jenyns, Man. p. 484 ; Ekst. Morko, p. 123; Yarrell, P. Z. S. 1835, 

 p. 183, Brit. Fish. (ed. 1) ii, p. 325, c. fig. (ed. 2) ii, p. 432 (ed. 3) ii, p. 400 ; 

 Fries, Wiegm. Arch. 1838, p. 239 ; Nilss. Skan. Fauna, iv, p. 682 ; Parnell, Wern. 

 Mem. vii, p. 394 ; Templeton, M. N. H. 1837 (2) i, p. 412 ; Johnston, Berwick. 

 N. F. C. 1838, i, p. 175; Thompson, Ireland, iv, p. 239; Kaup, Loph. p. 41; 

 Schlegel, Dieren Neder. p. 177, pi. xvii, f. 1 ; White, Catal. p. 42 ; Giinther, 

 Catal. viii, p. 157; Collett, Norges Fiske, p. 200; Winther, Prod. Dan. Mar. p. 

 53 ; Giglioli, Catal. Pesc. Ital. p. 49 ; Moreau, Poiss. de la France, ii, p. 42. 



Syngnatlius typhle, Bl. t. xci, f. 1 ; Bl. Schn. p. 514 (young) ; Gmel. Linn. 

 p. 1454 ; Malm, Fauna, p. 594. 



Syngnathus pelagicus, Donovan, Brit. Fish, iii, pi. lviii, Turton, p. 117; Flem. 

 Brit. An. p. 176 ; Jenyns, Man. p. 486. 



Syngnathus major, Swainson, ii, p. 333. 



Syngnathus rostellatus, Miss. Skand. Faun. Fiske, p. 687 ; Schlegel, 1. c. 

 p. 179, pi. xvii, f. 2 ; Malm, p. 595. 



Siphostoma acus, Kroyer, Danm. Fiske, iii, p. 692, c. fig. 



Greater pipe-fish, Couch, Fishes British Isles, iv, p. 351, pi. ccxxxix, f. 1. 



D. 40-44, P. 13, V. 3, C. 3-10, Osseous plates 19-20 + 44-46. 



Length of head 7| to 7|, of head and body 2| in the total length. Eyes — 

 diameter 3| in the post-orbital length of the head, 5^- to 6 in the length of the 

 snout, and 1 diameter apart. A low and usually rugose ridge passes along 

 the middle of the upper side of the snout to the occiput, and another similar ridge 

 over the orbit joining the one from the opposite side at the same place. A ridge 

 along the front half of the opercle, which is roughened in lines. Fins — the dorsal 

 fin stands on 10 or 11 rings, and commences above or slightly in advance of the 

 vent; it is considerably higher in the males than it is in the females. The male 

 has the abdomen from the vent to the anal fin broader than in the female, and 

 two soft flaps about two-thirds of its length, w T hich when brought together form 

 n pouch. Here the ova are received. Colours — superiorly brownish becoming 

 lighter on the sides and beneath. A black stripe runs forward from the eye, the 

 upper half of the opercle gray, the lower half silvery. About twenty dark bands 

 pass from the back down the sides, which are nearly as wide as the ground 

 colour. Dorsal fin with bands of spots and a black spot at the base of the 

 first ray. 



17 * 



