Home · Syngnathidae · Whitenose pipefish
Whitenose pipefish (Cosmocampus albirostris) — Syngnathidae

Whitenose pipefish

Cosmocampus albirostris
Family: Syngnathidae
LC · Least Concern

The Whitenose pipefish (Cosmocampus albirostris) is a saltwater fish of the family Syngnathidae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
20 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–50.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The whitenose pipefish is a pipefish (Syngnathidae) from the western Atlantic Ocean. The species has a slender, bony-ringed armoured body and a tubular snout with a pale tip, to which the name refers. It is a coastal species living in seagrass beds and avoiding lowered salinity; with its inconspicuous colour and slender body it blends in well among the plant stems. With its tubular snout it sucks up small zooplankton and small crustaceans. Like all pipefishes the male carries the eggs. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Whitenose pipefish?

The Whitenose pipefish has a snake-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Whitenose pipefish live?

The Whitenose pipefish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Whitenose pipefish get?

The Whitenose pipefish grows to a maximum of about 20 cm.

Is the Whitenose pipefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Whitenose pipefish is harmless to humans.

Is the Whitenose pipefish edible?

The Whitenose pipefish is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Witsnuit-zeenaald sourced
English name
Whitenose pipefish verified
Scientific name
Cosmocampus albirostris
Family
Syngnathidae
Other names
Whitenose pipefish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
20.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Mouth position
Superior (upward) inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
50.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Cosmocampus

More from the family Syngnathidae

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