Syngnathus nigrolineatus

Common name. Black Sea pipefish.

Diagnosis. Characters to distinguish this species from other species of Syngnathus have yet to be worked out. Size up to 190 mm SL.

Distribution . Coastal habitats and lower reaches of rivers in Black Sea basin; in Danube reaching Romanian-Hungarian border; in Dniepr reaching Kyiv. Introduced in middle and lower Volga reservoirs with mysids brought from Don estuary, now spreading and already south of Moscow.

Habitat. A wide range of marine, brackish, and freshwater habitats are usually associated with dense submerged vegetation and are also on open, muddy bottoms.

Biology. Lives up to 4 years. First spawns at 1 year, in April– October. Female lay 10– 60 eggs in a brood pouch on ventral surface of male’s tail. Male fertilise eggs as they enter pouch. Eggs incubate for 20–32 days.

Conservation status. LC.

Further reading. Svetovidov 1964 (description, as S. nigrolineatus); Silva et al. 2006a, b (reproduction).