98 ORDER GAS TE ROSTEI FORMES This order includes the sticklebacks, flutemouths, bellowfish, trumpetfish and the pipefish and seahorses. All members of this order have soft rayed fins» Only the latter group is represented in the Reserve. Family Sl/ognatSlidae - seahorses and pipefishes These fish are most abundant in shallow subtropical and tropical seas , but some species are found in temperate waters. There are more than species of pipefish, some of which are freshwater species. The dozen or so seahorse species are all marine. Pipefish and seahorses are identical in anatomical features, except that the pipefish is straight whereas the seahorse has its head bent downwards, joining the body almost at right angles. The body is long and slender and may be laterally compressed or rounded. The skeleton is external and consists of bony plates arranged in regular series and firmly connected to form a body carapace. Scales are absent» The head is slender and the snout long and tube-like, with a small, toothless mouth situated at its tip» The gill openings are reduced to small slits. The tail may or may not be prehensile. There is usually one dorsal fin situated opposite a minute anal fin. The pectoral and caudal fins are small or absent. There are no pelvic fins. Male sygnathids possess a brood pouch on the underside of the tail or abdomen. This is usually formed by folds of skin which meet along the midline of the body. The pouch of the seahorses is amost entirely closed, opening to the outside only through a small hole. While spawning the male receives the eggs from the female into his pouch. Here they are fertilised and incubated until they hatch. Pipefish belong to the genus Neophris have no brood pouch. Instead the eggs are attached along the outside of the male1s body. These fish are poor swimmers and more or less drift with the current. Movement can be achieved by rapidly undulating the dorsal fin and vibrating the pectoral fins. Seahorses typically swim in an upright position, whereas the pipefish usually swim horizontally. Three of the seven New Zealand species are found in the Reserve. The others are the spiny seadragon, Sotegnathus spinosissimus Gunther, and the pipefishes , Leptonotus novae (Waite), L„elevatus (Hutton) and Stigmatopora nigra Kaup. 99 Family : Syngnathidae Lissocampys Tūum - short-snouted pipefish DESCRIPTION: This pipefish has a long slender body with the tail tapered to a fine point. It is distinguished from other New Zealand pipefish by the short snout and the low counts of the dorsal and pectoral fin rays. The gill openings are very small and can be recognised by little knobs on the gill bars» The two flaps of skin which form the brood pouch are situated on the undersurface of the male5s abdomen, below the 13th and 16th body rings. This pipefish is usually pale brown with dark cross bars but may have an olive green tinge to the back» This small fish seldom exceeds 110mm in length„ Pipefish are extremely poor swimmers and are usually found shelterig among the seaweeds„ The colour and shape of the fish provide them with excellent camouflage„ The short-snouted pipefish usually swimms horizontally in the water although short periods of vertical swimming have been recorded0 The small dorsal fin is the only source of locomotion. DISTRIBUTION: General: L = fiturn is found in South America^ New Zealand and the Chatham Islands. They are commonly found among the seaweed of sheltered bays and harbours throughout New Zealand, to depths of 6m. Locals This species is not common in the relatively exposed coastal waters of the Reserve? however they are occasionally sighted» FEEDING: The diet of the pipefish consists of minute crustacea* To capture their preyf pipefish expel water from the mouth and pharynx and suck the animal in with the return wash of water» LIFE HISTORY: Little is known of the age and growth of this fish* Sexual maturity is usually reached at 70~80mm in length. At the approach of the breeding season the flaps of the male1s brood pouchy which are cemented together outside the season, become enlarged and swollen. To spawn, the male and female entwine with the oviduct of the female.protruding into the pouch of the male* Fertilisation takes place as the eggs are transfered form female to male* A male may carry as many as 45 eggs 0 The eggs are large with an average diameter of 1o 5mmo When the eggs hatch the pouch opens to allow the young to escape. Afterwards the flaps close and adhere together again. 100 LissQeafripys filum CD 14-15; R6 -85 C.10; body rings 21 = 22; tail rings 44-48.) r male 7mm t© 110 mm V Zealand! distnbut aora i sirs but! on wethbo the Reserve SotertidaS and shallow o subtidal weed - dweller, uncommon IF TP EF Habitat type Diet Life history patterns 101 Family : Syngnathidae . Stogmatopora maeropferfgia - long-snouted pipefish DESCRIPTION: This species is similar to Loftlwn except that the snout is very long, almost twice the length of the head* There is one dorsal fin which is situated well toward the tail, a small caudal fin and two small pectoral fins near the head» 'The male's brood pouch consists of two flaps of-skin« Body colour is green with brown cross bars» This species is the larger of the two pipefish found in the Reserve» The average length is 250mm but they can reach 450mm long» As with L.filvm the body shape and colouration of this fish form effective protective camouflage in its typical seaweed habitat» These fish are poor swimmers and are usually found sheltering in the weed. Most accounts maintain the pipefish tail is not prehensile; however these fish have been observed holding onto the seaweed with their tails» DISTRIBUTION: General: This species appears to be a New Zealand - Auckland Island endemic» It occurs throughout northern New Zealand, extending as far south as Otago Harbour» The fish are more common in sheltered bays and harbours than in coastal regions» Local: S0macropterygia are occasionally seen in the Reserve amongst the kelp forests, to depths of 14m» FEEDING: Pipefish feed on tiny crustacea, particularly copepods, small worms and the eggs of other marine animals» They have been observed swimming horizontally, vertically and even wriggling in an eel-like fashion while searching for food» The prey is gulped quickly and swallowed whole» LIFE HISTORY: Details of age and growth are unknown» Brooding males usually exceed 200mm in length» During spawning the eggs are transfered from female to male in a similar manner to L0 fi turn» The males carry 40-50 eggs» The flaps of skin forming the brood pouch fold over the eggs to protect them while they are developing» The young are released form the pouch as exact replicas of the parents» Stigmatopora macropterygia (D. 63*74; P. 15-19; body rings 21-22f) Diet Lif<s history patterns 103 Family : Syngnathidae [Hippocampus afedommaSss - seahorse (Hippos = a horse, campus = a seamonster abdominalis - refers to the abdomen) DESCRIPTION: The body of the seahorse is laterally compressed with only the dorsal and pectoral fins present» The females lack the brood pouch and head projections of the male and also tend to be more squat in posture» Body colouration varies from brown to gold with dark spots, usually resembling the colour of the seaweed the fish inhabits» The average length (fully extended) of a seahorse is 100=150mm» Maximum length recorded is 325mm» Seahorses are usually found resting, holding onto seaweeds with their prehensile tails, or swimming slowly near kelp cover» They swim upright with their heads bent down and their tails curled at the bottom» A well developed swim bladder is important to their floating and drifting movements and compensates for their limited swimming abilities» DISTRIBUTION: General: Thfe species is found throughout the New Zealand region and also in south-east Australian seas» Seahorses inhabit seaweed covered areas in harbours and along sheltered coastlines» Local: These secretive, well camouflaged fish are occasionally seen in the Reserve in weed strewn areas» FEEDING: Small crustacea such as amphipods and copepods, are taken from the sea floor and the seaweed» The seahorse moves slowly toward its stationary prey, places its mouth nearby and by inflating the cheeks and throat, sucks up the animal» LIFE HISTORY: No information is available on age, growth or maturity» Spawning usually occurs in spring» Eggs are passed form the female into the male's brood pouch a few at a time» Fertilisation probably occurs during the act of transfer» The eggs hatch inside the brood pouch after 30-50 days» The young are ejected by the male pressing his abdomen against a hard object and forcing a few out at a time» The young fish are fully developed and their tails are prehensile» At first they swim horizontally then later take up their typical vertical position» 104 CD.26= 31; A<4; P.14-17; 17-21; tail fe§r.ane 15mm New Zealand distribution 105 ORDER SCOIRPAEM i FORTIES This large, diversified group is characterised by the presence of a bony ridge, or stay, running across the cheek from the suborbital bones to the preoperculum» The head is generally armoured with several spiny projections or bony knobs and is sometimes encased in bony plates . Most fish in this group are of a small to moderate size» They usually have strong spines in the dorsal and anal fins which may be capable of inflicting severe wounds. Some have poison glands, containing highly toxic venom, near or at the base of the spines. This order includes the tropical stonefish (family Synancejidae) which present the ultimate in extremes of obliterative camouflage in fishes and are among the most venomous fishes<, The sculpins, greenlings, sablefish, poachers, snailfish, rockfish, sea robins and the scorpionfish are other members of this order 1 Family Scorpaeoada© - scorpionfishes and rockfishes This is a large family comprised of about 300 species.