Snake pipefish
Great Serpent needle ( Entelurus aequoreus )
The Great Serpent needle ( Entelurus aequoreus ) is the only known species of the genus Entelurus within the pipefish ( Syngnathidae ).
Features
The Great Serpent needle has a very elongated, thin body and is up to 60 inches long. The snout to the upper permanent mouth is pulled tubular. The tail is formed into a coil tail, which allows the fish to cling to seaweed. The back and sides are olive-green to gray. The far back on the body -faceted dorsal fin has 37 to 47 fin rays, the very short anal fin and paired fins are completely reduced. The caudal fin is made very small and has only 4-9 fin rays.
Dissemination
The Great Serpent needle lives on the coasts of the eastern Atlantic Ocean from northern Scandinavia and Iceland to Portugal as well as the northern and the western Baltic Sea. Also from the coast of the Azores is known the type.
Way of life
The fish live mainly in shallow coastal seagrass in and Tangwiesen at depths of 5 to 100 meters, where they reside normally on the ground between the Tang and are well camouflaged by their shape. They feed primarily on small crustaceans and fish spawn, they absorb the tubular mouth.
From June to July spawn Rogner, taking up to 1000 eggs with the help of their extended genital papilla attach to the ventral side of the male about 400. The males fertilize the eggs and help they hatch until the larvae. The juveniles have in contrast to the adult fish pectoral fins, which are regressed in development. They live and hunt pelagic crustaceans in the zooplankton.
System
The Great Serpent needle is the only recognized species of the genus Entelurus within the pipefish ( Syngnathidae ).