Seasearch Pipefish Survey 2007

One of the things we want divers to concentrate on recording this year is pipefish and seahorses. In recent years there have been big increases in populations of snake pipefish around our coasts and records of seahorses have also increased. We want to get as good a picture as we can by recording when, where and how may of each are seen by divers. There is a simple recording form you can download below and send to us by email.

The two main pipefishes we see are snake pipefish (below left) and greater pipefish (below right). Both are often found in shallow waters amongst seaweeds, as are our two seahorses. If in doubt as to which species you are seeing take a photograph without disturbing them and send it to us. There will be a prize for the best image submitted during the year.

British and Irish Pipefishes and Seahorses

For further information on all of these species consult British Sea Fishes by Frances Dipper from which the drawings below by Robert Irving have been reproduced. Other books have some of the species in them as shown below: Seasearch Observer's Guide (ObsGuide), Sussex Marine Life (Sussex) and Great British Marine Animals (GBMA). All of these books are available from the Seasearch shop. Some of the species are also in the MarLIN and Habitas websites (www.marlin.ac.uk or www.habitats.org.uk/marinelife) and you can find out more about seahorses at the Seahorse Trust www.britishseahorsesurvey.org)

Snake pipefish Entelurus aequoreus

The largest of the pipefishes - females growing to 60cm, males to 40m. Long smooth rounded body tapering to a tiny tail fin. Body colour yellowish brown with thin pale blue or silvery vertical bands all along the body. A diffuse dark line from snout through the eye. Becoming increasingly common on all coasts and found in a variety of depths and habitats. Photo above left. (ObsGuide, GBMA)

Greater pipefish Syngnathus acus

Long segmented armoured body, angular in cross section and up to 45cm long with a stiff appearance. Brown to green in colour with broad alternating light and dark bands along it. Long snout with mouth on end and a slight hump on the top of the body just behind the eyes. Most common on southerly and westerly coasts in a variety of habitats, often amongst seaweeds and seagrass. Prhoto above right. (ObsGuide, Sussex, GBMA, MarLIN, Habitas)

Nilsson's pipefish Syngnathus rostellatus

Similar in shape to the greater pipefish but only grows to 17cm. Snout shorter and no hump on top of body. Very rarely recorded and only from west coasts. NBN has no records since 1997. Only record this species if you are certain of its ID and can take a photograph

Deep-snouted pipefish Syngnathus typhle

Similar body shape to greater pipefish above and up to 30cm long. Snout is same depth as rest of head and laterally flattened with an upward facing mouth at the end. Rarely recorded and found amongst seagrass and mixed seaweeds. Only record this species if you are certain of its ID and can take a photograph. (GBMA)

Worm pipefish Nerophis lumbriciformis

A small slender pipefish up to 15cm long. Tapering body with no tail fin and upturned snout. Normally only found in inter-tidally and on south and west coasts amongst seaweeds and under stones. Unlikely to be recorded by divers. (MarLIN)

Straight-nosed pipefish Nerophis ophidion

Similar features to worm pipefish but larger, up to 30cm and with a straight nose. Found in shallow water amongst seagrass and long stranded seaweeds such as mermaid's tresses (Chorda filum) and thongweed (Himanthalia elongata). Few records on NBN, all from west coasts. Only record this species if you are certain of its ID and can take a photograph.

Short-snouted seahorse Hippocampus hippocampus

Short snout with concave profile. Southerly distribution. Found in a variety of habitats. Drawing below left (MarLIN and Seahorse Trust)

Spiny seahorse Hippocampus guttulatus

Longer, straight snout and often has spiky tassels around head. Widespread distribution on south and west coasts. Often found in seagrass. Drawing below right (MarLIN and Seahorse Trust)

Recording pipefish and Seahorses

We want you to make a special effort to sight and record pipefish and seahorses this year. In addition to a report of the survey on our website, as with all Seasearch records, what you record will appear on the National Biodiversity Network website and we will also share seahorse records with the Seahorse Trust.

You can download the recording form here and save it on you computer. When you see pipefish and seahorses fill in the form (one per dive) and save it with a new file name and then email it to us at info@seasearch.org.uk Alternately you can download a PDF version of the form, complete it and return it in that format.

The things you will need to record are:

• dive site location, position, date and time
• number of pipefishes and seahorses seen, depth, habitat and behaviour
• there is a comment box to add additional information

If you have taken photographs please send them with your email - there will be a prize for the best image of the survey.