Pegasus lancifer

Skulpturierter winged horse fish ( Pegasus lancifer )

The sculptured winged horse fish ( Pegasus lancifer ) is a small fish from the group of pipefish -like, which is endemic in subtropical and temperate temperate seas on the southern coast of Australia and around Tasmania.

Features

The sculptured winged horse fish is nine to twelve inches long. He is olivaceous dark brown on the top or bluish, the underside is light brown. The body is plump, on the back side without deep pits and clearly separated from the long tail fins stalk. He is by four pairs of dorsolateral ( located on the sides of the back) and five pairs of ventrolateral ( located on the sides of the abdomen ) armored bone plates. The tail fins stem surrounded 14 bony rings, of which the first seven are movable relative to one another, while the last seven are grown together. The last bone ring of the tail fins stem carries the top and bottom each have a pair of proximally directed spines. Rostrum is square in cross section. The rim of the eye sockets is covered with small scales. The eyes are obscured by the lower edge of the eye sockets at low angle. The only dorsal fin sits on the tail fins and handle, as well as the anal fin, five soft fin rays supported. The pectoral fins are fan-shaped. The swirl number is 22

Way of life

The fish live in individual- strong groups on sandy and muddy bottoms, often at the edge of seagrass beds in bays and estuaries to depths of 50 meters. They often bury themselves partially into the ground and are capable of their color, to change to adapt to the ground quickly. Their breeding season is in the spring. Courtship and egg-laying take place at dusk at spring tide.