Common names: pipefish (English), pez-pipa (Espanol)
 
Syngnathus carinatus (Gilbert, 1892)


Cortez pipefish



Snout slender, long, 56-63% of head ; head length 7.1-8.6 in SL; ridge along top of snout and head low, no spines along side of snout; adult  with no ridge along upper operculum; along side of body ends at level near anus or joins upper or lower tail ridge; upper ridge of body discontinuous with that of tail just behind dorsal fin; ridges along bottom of body and tail joined; body ridges not elevated, finely toothed; body and tail rings 16-18+ 39-43; no skin flaps; anal fin 2-4; dorsal fin 40-46, fin low, its origin on trunk; pectoral fin 13-15;  tail fin large, 10; brood pouch under tail, its plates folded inwards .


Green to brown, with white lines surrounding plates form a chainlink pattern; operculum and pectoral base silvery.


Reaches 21 cm.

On sand bottoms

Depth 0-36m



Endemic to the upper Gulf of California.