Species: Syngnathus fuscus, Northern pipefish

Syngnathus fuscus Storer, 1839

Northern pipefish

Head short; snout moderately long, and moderately slender; narrow bar of bone in front of eye; no ridge above operculum, or along side of snout;  ridges along top of snout and  head low; opercular ridge inconspicuous, only on front 1/3 of opercle in adults; body and front part of tail slender; dorsal fin 33-39, fin origin on trunk, well before anus; anal fin 2-4; pectoral fin 12-15; no pelvic fins; tail fin 10; main body ridges without indentations at ring edges; ridge along side of body ends under dorsal fin, not joining that along side of tail; upper ridge of body discontinuous with that of tail just behind dorsal fin; ridges along bottom of body and tail joined; trunk rings 18-21; tail rings 34-39; no skin flaps; brood pouch under tail, its plates folded inwards.