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Teleostei (teleosts) > Syngnathiformes (Pipefishes and seahorses) > Syngnathidae (Pipefishes and seahorses) > Nerophinae
Etymology: Microphis: Greek, mikros = small + greek, ophis = serpent (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Peters.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal. Tropical

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Africa: east coast from Sabaki River, Kenya, to Coffee Bay, South Africa (Ref. 4127, 52193); also Madagascar (Ref. 4127, 52193). Reported from Zimbabwe (Ref. 13337).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 21.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 52193)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 60 - 69; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 4.

It occurs in coastal rivers and streams (Ref. 4127) where it can be found in quiet water amongst vegetation (Ref. 30558, 52193) or in the vicinity of logs at river edges (Ref. 30558). It is ovoviviparous (Ref. 205). During mating the female passes eggs to the male and the eggs become fertilized as they pass into the pouch of the male (Ref. 30558). The male brood the eggs and larvae in an abdominal pouch (Ref. 7248, Ref. 30558). After about three weeks the pouch opens and the male gives birth to fully formed young (Ref. 30558). The young begin to feed soon and may take refuge in the male pouch if necessary (Ref. 30558). It probably feeds on minute invertebrate organisms such as crustaceans and insects (Ref. 30558, 52193).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Male carries the eggs in a brood pouch (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Dawson, C.E., 1986. Syngnathidae. p. 445-458. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. (Ref. 4281)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Data deficient (DD) ; Date assessed: 26 November 2015

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; aquarium: commercial

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
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Ecology
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Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00085 (0.00032 - 0.00224), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.4 ±0.45 se; based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low vulnerability (11 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Microphis fluviatilis (Peters, 1852)