About Syngnathus acus Linnaeus, 1758
The greater pipefish (Syngnathus acus Linnaeus, 1758) has a long, segmented, armored body that is angular in cross-section, with a stiff overall appearance. Typical adult lengths range from 33 cm to 35 cm, with a reported maximum length of 47 cm, and individuals can reach up to 45 cm long. Each body segment is almost square, and the body feels rigid when handled. The species has distinctive body rings; these rings are sandy brown, with darker bars between them across the body. Its overall body color can range from brown to green, marked with broad alternating light and dark bands along its length. It has a characteristic long snout with the mouth located at the end of the snout, and a slight hump on the top of the body just behind the eyes. The greater pipefish is distributed throughout the British Isles, and is regularly found in the Mediterranean Sea. It is common on southerly and westerly coasts across a variety of habitats, and is most often found among seaweeds and seagrass.
