Overview
Comprehensive Description
Description
Nerophis ophidion is slender and elongate, with a smooth worm like body. Females may grow to 30 cm, males to 20 cm. The slender snout is straight and equal in length to the rest of the head, with a small mouth. Fins are absent apart from a small dorsal fin. Variable in colour but usually green, darker dorsally, lighter green on the sides with whiteish-green or yellow below. Females may have pale blue markings on head and underside, and some fish have vertical rows of spots on the front half of the body.As with seahorses, eggs are incubated by the male pipefish, which carries the eggs in a shallow abdominal groove. Swimming occurs through undulations of the dorsal fin. Spawning occurs from May to August.
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Biology
Inhabit algal zone or eel-grass (Zostera) (Ref. 6733). Adults spawn in May - August . Feed on small crustaceans and fish fry (Ref. 35388). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205). The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail (Ref. 205). Consistent paternity is ensured despite brooding of embryos on the outside the male's body. Events of cuckoldry by sneaker males is ruled out through genetic paternity analyses based on molecular markers (Ref. 81011). Each male carries eggs from a single female but females may deposit eggs on several brooding pouches (Ref. 81011).
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Dawson, C.E. 1986 Syngnathidae. p. 628-639. In P.J.P. Whitehead, M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.) Fishes of the north-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 6733)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=6733&speccode=67
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Distribution
Distribution
Belgian Exclusive Economic Zone, Black Sea, British Isles, European waters (ERMS scope), Greek Exclusive Economic Zone, Irish Exclusive economic Zone, Israeli Exclusive Economic Zone [Mediterranean part], Polish Exclusive Economic Zone, Portugese Exclusive Economic Zone, Spanish Exclusive Economic Zone, United Kingdom Exclusive Economic Zone, Wimereux
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Müller, Y. (2004). Faune et flore du littoral du Nord, du Pas-de-Calais et de la Belgique: inventaire. [Coastal fauna and flora of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Belgium: inventory]. Commission Régionale de Biologie Région Nord Pas-de-Calais: France. 307 pp.
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=9269
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Hayward, P.J.; Ryland, J.S. (Ed.) (1990). The marine fauna of the British Isles and North-West Europe: 1. Introduction and protozoans to arthropods. Clarendon Press: Oxford, UK. ISBN 0-19-857356-1. 627 pp.
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=1
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van der Land, J.; Costello, M.J.; Zavodnik, D.; Santos, R.S.; Porteiro, F.M.; Bailly, N.; Eschmeyer, W.N.; Froese, R. (2001). Pisces, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 357-374
http://www.marbef.org/data/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=1411
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MEDIN (2011). UK checklist of marine species derived from the applications Marine Recorder and UNICORN, version 1.0.
http://www.marinespecies.org/asteroidea/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=149081
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Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. (2011). Species.ie version 1.0 World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway (version of 15 March 2010).
http://www.marinespecies.org/ascidiacea/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=149068
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Ramos, M. (ed.). 2010. IBERFAUNA. The Iberian Fauna Databank
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=149024
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Kedra, M. (2010). A Checklist of marine species occurring in Polish marine waters, compiled in the framework of the PESI EU FP7 project.
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=149084
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Galil, B.; Goren, M.; Mienis, H. (2011). Checklist of marine species in Israel. Compiled in the framework of the EU FP7 PESI project.
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=149096
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A.Boltachev & E. Karpova, IBSS NAS Ukraine
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=149025
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Koukouras, Athanasios. (2010). Check-list of marine species from Greece. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Assembled in the framework of the EU FP7 PESI project.
http://www.marinespecies.org/asteroidea/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=142068
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Eastern Atlantic: Norway to Morocco (excluding region from Denmark to Netherlands), also throughout the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
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Dawson, C.E. 1986 Syngnathidae. p. 628-639. In P.J.P. Whitehead, M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.) Fishes of the north-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 6733)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=6733&speccode=67
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Physical Description
Size
Max. size
29.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 2058)); 30 cm TL (female)
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Berg, L.S. 1965 Freshwater fishes of the U.S.S.R. and adjacent countries. volume 3, 4th edition. Israel Program for Scientific Translations Ltd, Jerusalem. (Russian version published 1949). (Ref. 2058)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=2058&speccode=47208
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Diagnostic Description
Anal and pectoral fin absent. Anal opening below front end of the dorsal fin, 28-33 body rings. Has a strait snout (Ref. 35388).
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Muus, B.J. and J.G. Nielsen 1999 Sea fish. Scandinavian Fishing Year Book, Hedehusene, Denmark. 340 p. (Ref. 35388)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=35388&speccode=37
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Ecology
Habitat
Depth range based on 126 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 65 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 0 - 222
Temperature range (°C): 6.889 - 10.246
Nitrate (umol/L): 2.655 - 11.531
Salinity (PPS): 34.595 - 35.445
Oxygen (ml/l): 5.848 - 6.375
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.394 - 0.771
Silicate (umol/l): 2.118 - 4.255
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): 0 - 222
Temperature range (°C): 6.889 - 10.246
Nitrate (umol/L): 2.655 - 11.531
Salinity (PPS): 34.595 - 35.445
Oxygen (ml/l): 5.848 - 6.375
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.394 - 0.771
Silicate (umol/l): 2.118 - 4.255
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 65 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 0 - 222
Temperature range (°C): 6.889 - 10.246
Nitrate (umol/L): 2.655 - 11.531
Salinity (PPS): 34.595 - 35.445
Oxygen (ml/l): 5.848 - 6.375
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.394 - 0.771
Silicate (umol/l): 2.118 - 4.255
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): 0 - 222
Temperature range (°C): 6.889 - 10.246
Nitrate (umol/L): 2.655 - 11.531
Salinity (PPS): 34.595 - 35.445
Oxygen (ml/l): 5.848 - 6.375
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.394 - 0.771
Silicate (umol/l): 2.118 - 4.255
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
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Habitat
A coastal species living mostly between about 5 to 25 metres deep and rarely found on the shore. It is commonly found amongst seagrass and long stranded seaweed such as bootlace weed Chorda filum, and hence can be found in both rocky and sandy areas. Nerophis ophidion can also tolerate brackish waters of varying salinity.
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Environment
demersal; brackish; marine; depth range 2 - 15 m (Ref. 6733)
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Dawson, C.E. 1986 Syngnathidae. p. 628-639. In P.J.P. Whitehead, M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.) Fishes of the north-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 6733)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=6733&speccode=67
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Life History and Behavior
Life Cycle
Consistent paternity is ensured despite brooding of embryos on the outside of the male's body. Events of cuckoldry by sneaker males is ruled out through genetic paternity analyses based on molecular markers (Ref. 81011). Each male carries eggs from a single female but females may deposit eggs on several brooding pouches (Ref. 81011).
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Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen 1966 Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p. (Ref. 205)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=205&speccode=1256
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Molecular Biology and Genetics
Molecular Biology
Statistics of barcoding coverage: Nerophis ophidion
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Species: 1
Species With Barcodes: 1
Public Records: 0
Species: 1
Species With Barcodes: 1
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Conservation
Threats
Not Evaluated
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IUCN 2006 2006 IUCN red list of threatened species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded July 2006.
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=57073
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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems
Benefits
Importance
fisheries: of no interest
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Muus, B. and P. Dahlström 1978 Meeresfische der Ostsee, der Nordsee, des Atlantiks. BLV Verlagsgesellschaft, München. 244 p. (Ref. 4645)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=4645&speccode=38
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Wikipedia
Straightnose pipefish
Straightnose pipefish (Nerophis ophidion) is a brackish water species of Pipefishes[1].
Found in the North-eastern Atlantic along the coasts of Europe from the southern Norway to Morocco, also in the Baltic, Mediterranean, and Black Seas. It is inhabits sandy bottoms, also in foulings, at depth from 2–15 m.
References
Unreviewed
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