Species: Bryx dunckeri, Pugnose Pipefish

Bryx dunckeri (Metzelaar, 1919)

Pugnose Pipefish

Head ~9.2% of SL; snout short, upturned, depth 59% of its length, with low, finely serrated ridge along top; a ridge along top of operculum; dorsal 21-27 rays; pectoral 9-13 rays; no anal fin; no pelvic fins; tail fin 10 rays; 15-18 trunk rings, 30-36 tail rings; ridges on upper body and tail not joined; ridge on mid side of body straight, ends near anus; lower body ridge joins lower tail ridge; brood pouch under tail, with semi-overlapping plates pouch under tail rings 14-19.

Color highly variable, pale to reddish brown, blotched and mottled, sometimes with whitish rings; usually a dark stripe along side of snout, radiating darks streaks from eye, a dark blotch behind eye, sometimes with a pale blotch below that; occasionally with 6-8 small brown spots near middle of each ring; fins plain or rays spotted with brown.

Reaches 7.5 cm.

Seagrass and calcareous algae, sometimes in floating Sargassum; brackish to marine.

Depth range: 1-72 m.

North Carolina to Brazil.