Greater Pipefish Syngnathus acus

The Greater Pipefish is native to shallow, sheltered seagrass in the northeastern Atlantic including the North Sea and the Mediterranean.

It has a brown or greenish body with wide dark and light bars, sometimes obvious, sometimes indistinct. The body is not round but hexagonal. It grows to 35-45cm long and has a raised nape behind the eyes.

Related to seahorses, female pipefish pass eggs to the male's brooding pouch and the male incubates the eggs and gives birth to live young.

Greater Pipefish in foreground with Snake Pipefish in background and Seahorse below.