Genus: Micrognathus, Pipefishes, Smooth Pipefish
snout short, central ridge low & smooth, no side ridge
eyes: no skin flaps
eyes: no skin flaps
D 16-24
C 10
pectoral 9-15
lower body & tail ridges not joined
A 2
A 2
brood pouch under tail
MICROGNATHUS
PIPEFISHES
Snout short, with low ridge (without spines, concave in profile) all along center; no ridge on side of snout; no skin flaps over eyes; ridge along operculum angles up and back; upper body and tail ridges interrupted near rear of dorsal fin; lower trunk ridge and lateral tail ridge both end near anus; side trunk ridge joins lower tail ridge; trunk rings 14-20, total rings 41-56; dorsal fin rays 16-24; anal fin present, 2-4; pectoral fin rays 9-15; no pelvic fins; tail fin typically 10; brood pouch under tail rings 10-17, pouch plates present, close pouch by both folding to one side.
A genus that occurs in the W Atlantic and Indo-central Pacific, with 7 species; 1 W Atlantic species in the Greater Caribbean.
