SYNGNATHOIDES BIACULEATUS - (BLOCH, 1785)
Picture courtesy of : Yves Thévenet
Longue flûte, Syngnathe triangulaire, Poisson aiguille alligator, Poisson-aiguille des herbiers, Syngnathe vert, Aiguille de mer cornue, Alligator pipefish, Double-end pipehorse, Double-ended pipefish, Double-ended pipehorse, Spiraltail pipefish, Kaaiman-pypvis, Grøn tangnål, Alligaattorineula, Togeyôji, പുല്ചാള, 拟海龙, 棘海龍, トゲヨウジ,
Description
Épines dorsales (Total) : 0; Rayons mous dorsaux (Total) : 38-48; Épines anales : 0; Rayons mous anaux : 4. Sa coloration varie selon le lieu d'origine. Le plus souvent vert ou jaune. En captivité, ils deviennent tous jaunes à jaunes-vert. Les individus fraîchement importés portent souvent des filaments plus ou moins longs et ramifiés sur la peau et le museau. Ces filaments disparaissent assez vite en aquarium. Les femelles sont plus petites que les mâles. Taille maximale : 29.0 cm TL. Profondeur : 0 - 10 m.
Épines dorsales (Total) : 0; Rayons mous dorsaux (Total) : 38-48; Épines anales : 0; Rayons mous anaux : 4. Sa coloration varie selon le lieu d'origine. Le plus souvent vert ou jaune. En captivité, ils deviennent tous jaunes à jaunes-vert. Les individus fraîchement importés portent souvent des filaments plus ou moins longs et ramifiés sur la peau et le museau. Ces filaments disparaissent assez vite en aquarium. Les femelles sont plus petites que les mâles. Taille maximale : 29.0 cm TL. Profondeur : 0 - 10 m.
Etymologie
Syngnathoides : du Grec, syn, symphysis = grown together + du Grec, gnathos = machoire, mandibule, maxillaire.
biaculeatus : du Latin, bi- = deux, double + du Latin, aculeatus = qui a des piquants, pointu. En référence aux points en forme d'épines au dessus des yeux.
Description originale : Syngnathus biaculeatus Bloch, 1785 - Localité type : Océan Indien.
Syngnathoides : du Grec, syn, symphysis = grown together + du Grec, gnathos = machoire, mandibule, maxillaire.
biaculeatus : du Latin, bi- = deux, double + du Latin, aculeatus = qui a des piquants, pointu. En référence aux points en forme d'épines au dessus des yeux.
Description originale : Syngnathus biaculeatus Bloch, 1785 - Localité type : Océan Indien.
Distribution
Mer Rouge, Est de l'Afrique, Afrique du Sud, Iles des Mascareignes, Australie, Inde, Indonésie, Japon, Présent autour des nombreuses îles sur sa zone de répartition (Îles Marshall, Nouvelle-Guinée, Philippines, Îles Salomon, Îles Samoa, Nouvelle-Calédonie, Tonga).
Mer Rouge, Est de l'Afrique, Afrique du Sud, Iles des Mascareignes, Australie, Inde, Indonésie, Japon, Présent autour des nombreuses îles sur sa zone de répartition (Îles Marshall, Nouvelle-Guinée, Philippines, Îles Salomon, Îles Samoa, Nouvelle-Calédonie, Tonga).
Biologie
Relativement commun, il vit dans les eaux côtières peu profondes et dans les lagons protégés, le plus souvent au milieu des algues et des herbiers où il passe inaperçu.
Pendant la période de reproduction, les mâles ont des petites taches rouge-brun le long du bord inférieur du corps. La poche incubatrice est ouverte. elle n'est pas protégée par des replis cutanés latéraux ou par des plaques osseuses. Le ventre du mâle est couvert d'une peau lisse dans laquelle les oeufs s'implantent. Après accouplement les œufs sont transférés au mâle qui les portera dans sa poche incubatrice, située à la base de la queue, jusqu'à l'éclosion. Dès leur naissance les jeunes Syngnathes triangulaires sont abandonnés et ne peuvent compter que sur eux-mêmes pour assurer leur survie.
Le Syngnathe triangulaire est un poisson carnivore. Il se fixe par la queue aux algues et aux herbes marines. Dans cette position, il attend le passage des proies.
Relativement commun, il vit dans les eaux côtières peu profondes et dans les lagons protégés, le plus souvent au milieu des algues et des herbiers où il passe inaperçu.
Pendant la période de reproduction, les mâles ont des petites taches rouge-brun le long du bord inférieur du corps. La poche incubatrice est ouverte. elle n'est pas protégée par des replis cutanés latéraux ou par des plaques osseuses. Le ventre du mâle est couvert d'une peau lisse dans laquelle les oeufs s'implantent. Après accouplement les œufs sont transférés au mâle qui les portera dans sa poche incubatrice, située à la base de la queue, jusqu'à l'éclosion. Dès leur naissance les jeunes Syngnathes triangulaires sont abandonnés et ne peuvent compter que sur eux-mêmes pour assurer leur survie.
Le Syngnathe triangulaire est un poisson carnivore. Il se fixe par la queue aux algues et aux herbes marines. Dans cette position, il attend le passage des proies.
Synonymes
Stigmatophora unicolor (Castelnau, 1875)
Syngnathoides bicauleatus (Bloch, 1785)
Syngnathoides biculeatus (Bloch, 1785)
Syngnathoides blochii (Bleeker, 1851)
Syngnathus biaculeatus (Bloch, 1785)
Syngnathus tetragonus (Thunberg, 1776)
Stigmatophora unicolor (Castelnau, 1875)
Syngnathoides bicauleatus (Bloch, 1785)
Syngnathoides biculeatus (Bloch, 1785)
Syngnathoides blochii (Bleeker, 1851)
Syngnathus biaculeatus (Bloch, 1785)
Syngnathus tetragonus (Thunberg, 1776)
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Description
Dorsal-fin rays: 38-48. Anal-fin rays: 4. Pectoral-fin rays: 20-24. Trunk rings: 15-18. Tail rings: 40-54. Subdorsal rings: 2.0–0.25 + 7.5–10.5 = 8.5–11.75. Body elongate, trunk compressed dorsoventrally, tail prehensile, tapering to a point; snout deep, laterally compressed, snout length: 1.7–1.8 in head length, snout depth: 5.3–7.8 in snout length; median dorsal snout ridge low, entire; a spine-like point usually on supraorbital ridge over posterior third of orbit; opercle without a longitudinal ridge; superior and inferior trunk ridges continuous with respective tail ridges; inferior trunk ridge inconspicuous and located ventrally on trunk; scutella absent; dermal flaps well developed in juveniles, often absent in adults. Dorsal fin origin on trunk, fin base not elevated; pectoral fin base protruding laterally, usually with two distinct ridges; anal fin very small, caudal fin absent. Max length: 29.0 cm TL, males grow larger than females. Depth range: 0 - 10 m.
Dorsal-fin rays: 38-48. Anal-fin rays: 4. Pectoral-fin rays: 20-24. Trunk rings: 15-18. Tail rings: 40-54. Subdorsal rings: 2.0–0.25 + 7.5–10.5 = 8.5–11.75. Body elongate, trunk compressed dorsoventrally, tail prehensile, tapering to a point; snout deep, laterally compressed, snout length: 1.7–1.8 in head length, snout depth: 5.3–7.8 in snout length; median dorsal snout ridge low, entire; a spine-like point usually on supraorbital ridge over posterior third of orbit; opercle without a longitudinal ridge; superior and inferior trunk ridges continuous with respective tail ridges; inferior trunk ridge inconspicuous and located ventrally on trunk; scutella absent; dermal flaps well developed in juveniles, often absent in adults. Dorsal fin origin on trunk, fin base not elevated; pectoral fin base protruding laterally, usually with two distinct ridges; anal fin very small, caudal fin absent. Max length: 29.0 cm TL, males grow larger than females. Depth range: 0 - 10 m.
Colour
Colour variable depending on habitat - usually a mottled greenish-brown or grey with darker markings, sometimes with a narrow dark stripe on opercle and dots on abdomen. Subadult-adult females often with bilateral dark bluish spots or blotches ventrally on some trunk rings. Females may have a white zigzag pattern on abdomen.
Colour variable depending on habitat - usually a mottled greenish-brown or grey with darker markings, sometimes with a narrow dark stripe on opercle and dots on abdomen. Subadult-adult females often with bilateral dark bluish spots or blotches ventrally on some trunk rings. Females may have a white zigzag pattern on abdomen.
Etymology
Syngnathoides: from Greek, syn, symphysis = grown together + from Greek, gnathos = gnathos = jaw, mandible, maxilla.
biaculeatus: from Latin, bi- = two, twice + from Latin, aculeatus = sharp-pointed, stinging. In reference to the spine-like points above the eye.
Original description: Syngnathus biaculeatus Bloch, 1785 - Type locality: Indian Ocean.
Syngnathoides: from Greek, syn, symphysis = grown together + from Greek, gnathos = gnathos = jaw, mandible, maxilla.
biaculeatus: from Latin, bi- = two, twice + from Latin, aculeatus = sharp-pointed, stinging. In reference to the spine-like points above the eye.
Original description: Syngnathus biaculeatus Bloch, 1785 - Type locality: Indian Ocean.
Distribution
Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, South Africa, Madagascar and Mauritius (Mascarenes) east to Marshall Islands and Samoa, north to southern Japan, south to Western Australia, New South Wales (Australia), New Caledonia and Tonga.
Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, South Africa, Madagascar and Mauritius (Mascarenes) east to Marshall Islands and Samoa, north to southern Japan, south to Western Australia, New South Wales (Australia), New Caledonia and Tonga.
Biology
Inhabits shallow, protected waters of bays, lagoons and estuaries including mangrove areas, in association with seagrass beds and macroalgae. Juveniles sometimes found clinging to floating algae and plant debris including Sargassum rafts. Uses its prehensile tail to cling to plants and if threatened, individuals have been observed to jump out of the water onto floating plant material.
Carnivore - feeds on small crustaceans such as shrimps and amphipods, and tiny fishes.
Males brood the developing young in a specialized pouch under the trunk; pouch plates and folds absent. Males are likely to be brooding at 180 mm TL.
In Moreton Bay, Queensland, pregnant males were found between October and April, and pigment dots on the abdomen became very distinctive. Egg batches may develop sequentially in females, as ovaries contained at least two distinct egg size classes. Individuals are likely to be monogamous as males were found to be brooding embryos of a similar size.
Eggs are clear, white, brown or greenish in colour, and deposited in open membranous compartments on the abdomen. Males in Moreton Bay carried between 60 and 260 eggs per brood.
Regularly collected for the aquarium trade, for use in traditional Chinese medicine and are sold as curios. They have been used in Chinese medicine to extract ‘Hailong’, a drug involved in cancer research. Individuals have also been reared in captivity. The species is harvested for sale in the Australia Northern Territory aquarium industry.
Inhabits shallow, protected waters of bays, lagoons and estuaries including mangrove areas, in association with seagrass beds and macroalgae. Juveniles sometimes found clinging to floating algae and plant debris including Sargassum rafts. Uses its prehensile tail to cling to plants and if threatened, individuals have been observed to jump out of the water onto floating plant material.
Carnivore - feeds on small crustaceans such as shrimps and amphipods, and tiny fishes.
Males brood the developing young in a specialized pouch under the trunk; pouch plates and folds absent. Males are likely to be brooding at 180 mm TL.
In Moreton Bay, Queensland, pregnant males were found between October and April, and pigment dots on the abdomen became very distinctive. Egg batches may develop sequentially in females, as ovaries contained at least two distinct egg size classes. Individuals are likely to be monogamous as males were found to be brooding embryos of a similar size.
Eggs are clear, white, brown or greenish in colour, and deposited in open membranous compartments on the abdomen. Males in Moreton Bay carried between 60 and 260 eggs per brood.
Regularly collected for the aquarium trade, for use in traditional Chinese medicine and are sold as curios. They have been used in Chinese medicine to extract ‘Hailong’, a drug involved in cancer research. Individuals have also been reared in captivity. The species is harvested for sale in the Australia Northern Territory aquarium industry.