Pipefish and Sea Horses Ringback Pipefish Stipecampus cristatus Length: up to 25 cm Brown to yellowish brown 9–11 narrow, irregular pale bars or blotches along the back Elevated snout ridge Found on reefs to 15 m Seasonally migrates into Port Phillip Bay, often in large numbers Large abdomen, completely encased in bony rings, Big-bellied Sea Horse Prehensile tail Hippocampus abdominalis Found in depths to 100 m Length: up to 35 cm Compressed body Photo: Saspotato Seahorse, dispute about whether a separate species Potbelly Sea Horse Longer snout and commonly has head filaments Hippocampus bleekeri Length: up to 30 cm Photo: Mark6Mauro Very similar to the Big Belly Photo: Saspotato
Pipefish and Sea Horses Ringback Pipefish Stipecampus cristatus Length: up to 25 cm Brown to yellowish brown 9–11 narrow, irregular pale bars or blotches along the back Elevated snout ridge Found on reefs to 15 m Seasonally migrates into Port Phillip Bay, often in large numbers Big-bellied Sea Horse Hippocampus abdominalis Length: up to 35 cm Compressed body Large abdomen, completely encased in bony rings, Prehensile tail Found in depths to 100 m Photo: Saspotato Potbelly Sea Horse Hippocampus bleekeri Length: up to 30 cm Very similar to the Big Belly Seahorse, dispute about whether a separate species Longer snout and commonly has head filaments Photo: Mark6Mauro Photo: Saspotato
Protected-species-booklet.docx