Syngnathidae

{{Short description|Family of fishes}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = {{fossil range|50|0|Early Eocene-recent}} | image = Syngnathus typhle Genoa aquarium.jpg | image_caption = Broadnosed pipefish, ''Syngnathus typhle'' | taxon = Syngnathidae | display_parents = 3 | authority = Bonaparte, 1831 | subdivision_ranks = Subfamilies and genera | subdivision = See text }}

The '''Syngnathidae''' is a family of fish which includes seahorses, pipefishes, and seadragons (''Phycodurus'' and ''Phyllopteryx''). The family name comes from Ancient Greek σύν (''sún''), meaning "together", and γνάθος (''gnáthos''), meaning "jaw",<ref name="Hentschel1990">{{cite book | vauthors = Hentschel E, Wagner G | date = 1990 | title = Zoologisches Wörterbuch. Tiernamen, allgemeinbiologische, anatomische, physiologische Termini und biographische Daten | edition = 4th | location = Stuttgart | publisher = Gustav Fischer }}</ref> referring to the fused jaw that the entire family have in common.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Lourie SA, Vincent AC, Hall HJ | title = Seahorses: An Identification Guide to the World's Species and their Conversation. | location = London | publisher = Project Seahorse | date = 1999 }}</ref>

==Description and biology== Syngnathids are found in temperate and tropical seas across the world. Most species inhabit shallow, coastal waters, but a few are known from the open ocean, especially in association with sargassum mats. They are characterised by their elongated snouts, fused jaws, the absence of pelvic fins, and by thick plates of bony armour covering their bodies. The armour gives them a rigid body, so they swim by rapidly fanning their fins. As a result, they are relatively slow compared with other fish but are able to control their movements with great precision, including hovering in place for extended periods.<ref name=EoF>{{cite book | veditors = Paxton JR, Eschmeyer WN | vauthors = Orr JW, Pietsch TW |year=1998|title=Encyclopedia of Fishes|publisher= Academic Press|location=San Diego|pages= 168–169|isbn= 0-12-547665-5}}</ref>

Uniquely, after syngnathid females lay their eggs, the male then fertilizes and carries the eggs during incubation, using one of several methods. Male seahorses have a specialized ventral brood pouch to carry the embryos, male sea dragons attach the eggs to their tails, and male pipefish may do either, depending on their species.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/threatened_species/general/synganathids |publisher=NSW Department of Primary Industries - Fisheries |title=Seahorses and their relatives |access-date=2008-06-13 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080501212219/http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/threatened_species/general/synganathids |archive-date = 2008-05-01}}</ref> The most fundamental difference between the different lineages of the family Syngnathidae is the location of male brood pouch.<ref name="pmid27989632">{{cite journal | vauthors = Hamilton H, Saarman N, Short G, Sellas AB, Moore B, Hoang T, Grace CL, Gomon M, Crow K, Brian Simison W | display-authors = 6 | title = Molecular phylogeny and patterns of diversification in syngnathid fishes | journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume = 107 | issue = | pages = 388–403 | date = February 2017 | pmid = 27989632 | doi = 10.1016/j.ympev.2016.10.003 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2017MolPE.107..388H }}</ref> The two locations are on the tail (Urophori) and on the abdomen (Gastrophori).<ref name="Wilson_2003">{{cite journal | vauthors = Wilson AB, Ahnesjö I, Vincent AC, Meyer A | title = The dynamics of male brooding, mating patterns, and sex roles in pipefishes and seahorses (family Syngnathidae) | journal = Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution | volume = 57 | issue = 6 | pages = 1374–1386 | date = June 2003 | pmid = 12894945 | doi = 10.1111/j.0014-3820.2003.tb00345.x | s2cid = 16855358 | doi-access = free }}</ref> There is also variation in Syngnathid pouch complexity with brood pouches ranging from simple ventral gluing areas to fully enclosed pouches.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Dawson CE | date = 1985 | title = Indo-Pacific pipefishes (Red Sea to the Americas). | publisher = Gulf Coast Research Laboratory | location = Ocean Springs, MS }} [as cited by Wilson et al. (2003)]</ref> In species with more developed, enclosed pouches it has been demonstrated that males directly provide their brood with not only nutrients<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ripley JL, Foran CM | title = Direct evidence for embryonic uptake of paternally-derived nutrients in two pipefishes (Syngnathidae: Syngnathus spp.). | journal = Journal of Comparative Physiology B | date = April 2009 | volume = 179 | issue = 3 | pages = 325–333 | doi = 10.1007/s00360-008-0316-2 | pmid = 19005657 | s2cid = 22862461 }}</ref> but also immunity to pathogens.<ref name="pmid23149404">{{cite journal | vauthors = Roth O, Klein V, Beemelmanns A, Scharsack JP, Reusch TB | title = Male pregnancy and biparental immune priming | journal = The American Naturalist | volume = 180 | issue = 6 | pages = 802–814 | date = December 2012 | pmid = 23149404 | doi = 10.1086/668081 | bibcode = 2012ANat..180..802R | s2cid = 30248226 }}</ref> Syngnathids with more developed brood pouches are also known to be able to partially or completely abort a brood from a female with low fitness.<ref name="pmid20237568">{{cite journal | vauthors = Paczolt KA, Jones AG | title = Post-copulatory sexual selection and sexual conflict in the evolution of male pregnancy | journal = Nature | volume = 464 | issue = 7287 | pages = 401–404 | date = March 2010 | pmid = 20237568 | doi = 10.1038/nature08861 | bibcode = 2010Natur.464..401P | s2cid = 1009344 }}</ref>

A wide variety of mate choice and mating competition has been observed in Syngnathidae.<ref name="pmid21651521">{{cite journal | vauthors = Rosenqvist G, Berglund A | title = Sexual signals and mating patterns in Syngnathidae | journal = Journal of Fish Biology | volume = 78 | issue = 6 | pages = 1647–1661 | date = June 2011 | pmid = 21651521 | doi = 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2011.02972.x | bibcode = 2011JFBio..78.1647R }}</ref> For example, ''Hippocampus fuscus'' exhibits conventional sex roles of males competing for female access<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Vincent AC | title = Seahorses exhibit conventional sex roles in mating competition, despite male pregnancy. | journal = Behaviour | date = January 1994 | volume = 128 | issue = 1–2 | pages = 135–151 | doi = 10.1163/156853994X00082 | url = https://brill.com/view/journals/beh/128/1-2/article-p135_8.xml | url-access = subscription }}</ref> while ''Corythoichthys haematopterus'' is completely sex role reversed.<ref name="pmid17878140">{{cite journal | vauthors = Sogabe A, Yanagisawa Y | title = Sex-role reversal of a monogamous pipefish without higher potential reproductive rate in females | journal = Proceedings. Biological Sciences | volume = 274 | issue = 1628 | pages = 2959–2963 | date = December 2007 | pmid = 17878140 | pmc = 2291160 | doi = 10.1098/rspb.2007.1041 }}</ref> Most conventional sex role syngnathids are monogamous whereas sex role reversed species mostly exhibit polygamous behavior.<ref name="Wilson_2003" />

Seahorses and pipefish also have a unique feeding mechanism, known as elastic recoil feeding. Although the mechanism is not well understood, seahorses and pipefish appear to have the ability to store energy from contraction of their epaxial muscles (used in upward head rotation), which they then release, resulting in extremely fast head rotation to accelerate their mouths towards unsuspecting prey.<ref name="pmid17626004">{{cite journal | vauthors = Van Wassenbergh S, Strother JA, Flammang BE, Ferry-Graham LA, Aerts P | title = Extremely fast prey capture in pipefish is powered by elastic recoil | journal = Journal of the Royal Society, Interface | volume = 5 | issue = 20 | pages = 285–296 | date = March 2008 | pmid = 17626004 | pmc = 2607401 | doi = 10.1098/rsif.2007.1124 }}</ref>

== Evolution == Phylogenetic analysis implies that the most recent common ancestor of all syngnathids was likely pouchless. The family ''Solenostomidae'' (ghost pipefish) is a family in the order Syngnathiformes. Female ghost pipefish incubate their developing embryos inside fused pelvic fins. Evolutionary transitions from female to male care are practically nonexistent in teleosts, so brood pouches were likely not ancestral.<ref name=Whittington_2020>{{cite journal | vauthors = Whittington CM, Friesen CR | title = The evolution and physiology of male pregnancy in syngnathid fishes | journal = Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society | volume = 95 | issue = 5 | pages = 1252–1272 | date = October 2020 | pmid = 32372478 | doi = 10.1111/brv.12607 | s2cid = 218520770 | hdl = 2123/31721 | hdl-access = free }}</ref> Genome sequencing supports this, revealing multiple different origins across and within different brood pouch types.<ref name=Hamilton_2017>{{cite journal | vauthors = Hamilton H, Saarman N, Short G, Sellas AB, Moore B, Hoang T, Grace CL, Gomon M, Crow K, Brian Simison W | display-authors = 6 | date = February 2017 | title = Molecular phylogeny and patterns of diversification in syngnathid fishes | journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume = 107 | pages = 388–403 | pmid = 27989632 | doi = 10.1016/j.ympev.2016.10.003 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2017MolPE.107..388H }}</ref> Oviparity was the ancestral trait, and the evolution of viviparity must have relied on the evolution and integration of multiple complex traits such as morphology, physiology, and behavior.

Syngnathidae was historically divided into two major lineages based on brood pouch location: ''Neophinae'' (located on the trunk) and ''Syngnathinae'' (located on the tail).<ref name=Whittington_2020/> Genome sequencing shows a parallel increase in brood pouch complexity in both ''Neophinae'' and ''Syngnathinae''.<ref name=Hamilton_2017/> Some species may have also independently evolved to have trunk brooding phenotypes, separate from the ''Neophinae''. One example of this convergent evolution arises in pygmy seahorses (''Hippocampus bargibanti, Hippocampus denise, Hippocampus pontohi''). Pygmy seahorses are very small (about 1–2 cm tall) trunk brooders, phylogenetically surrounded by tail brooders. It is likely that the pygmy seahorse once had their brood pouch on their tail. The brood pouch may have moved locations when there was strong a correlated selection for a prehensile tail and diminutive size, resulting in a very small, trunk brooding organism.<ref name=Whittington_2020/>

Viviparity and male-pregnancy in Syngnathidae have a complex evolutionary history with many independent origins of similar traits. Early members of the family developed traits to limit the presence of deleterious mutations, allowing for more rapid evolution.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Wang X, Zhang Y, Zhang H, Qin G, Lin Q | date = June 2019 | title = Complete mitochondrial genomes of eight seahorses and pipefishes (Syngnathiformes: Syngnathidae): Insight into the adaptive radiation of syngnathid fishes | journal = BMC Evolutionary Biology | volume = 19 | issue = 1 | article-number = 119 | pmid = 31185889 | pmc = 6560779 | doi = 10.1186/s12862-019-1430-3 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2019BMCEE..19..119W }}</ref> The advantage of a more controlled and protected embryonic development seemed to be enough to enact evolutionary development throughout Syngnathidae to varying degrees.

In species with the most complex brood pouch systems, many traits (behavioral, physiological, morphological, and immunological) must have co‑evolved to allow for male pregnancy, driven by the increase of the fitness of those individuals’ offspring. The evolution of these traits resulted in a sex-role reversal in which females may exhibit competitive behavior for a mate.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Goncalves IB, Mobley KB, Ahnesjö I, Sagebakken G, Jones AG, Kvarnemo C | date = May 2010 | title = Reproductive compensation in broad-nosed pipefish females | journal = Proceedings. Biological Sciences | volume = 277 | issue = 1687 | pages = 1581–1587 | pmid = 20106851 | pmc = 2871843 | doi = 10.1098/rspb.2009.2290 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| vauthors = Silva K, Almada VC, Vieira MN, Monteiro NM |year=2009 |title=Female reproductive tactics in a sex-role reversed pipefish: Scanning for male quality and number |journal=Behavioral Ecology |language=en |volume=20 |issue=4 |pages=768–772 |doi=10.1093/beheco/arp058 |issn=1465-7279|doi-access=free |hdl=10.1093/beheco/arp058 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

Recent research, especially whole-genome sequencing,<ref name=Hamilton_2017/> has allowed for greatly improved understanding of the evolutionary history of Syngnathidae, but there is still a need for further development in the field. Further investigations into the genetic mechanisms and selective motivation for the evolution of these traits in Syngnathidae may provide insight into the evolution of pregnancy separate from the female reproductive system.

The earliest syngnathids are known from the Eocene of Monte Bolca, Italy.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Bannikov |first1=A. F. |last2=Carnevale |first2=Giorgio |last3=Popov |first3=Yaroslav |date=2017 |title=An extraordinary pipefish (Teleostei, Syngnathidae) with fully developed anal fin from the Oligocene of the North Caucasus (SW Russia) |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317000482 |journal=Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana |volume=56 |issue=1 |pages=79–88 |via=ResearchGate}}</ref>

==Classification== In the past, this family was divided into two subfamilies: the elongated Syngnathinae, containing pipefish & seadragons, and the coiled Hippocampinae, containing seahorses and their presumed relatives. However, more recent genetic studies have found these divisions to be paraphyletic, with the seahorses being deeply nested within the pipefish, and the major division within the family being tail-brooding vs. trunk-brooding species. Due to this, the family has been re-circumscribed with its two major subfamilies being Nerophinae (trunk-brooders) and Syngnathinae (tail-brooders, including seahorses and seadragons). The split between these two families is thought to have occurred during the Paleocene.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Stiller |first1=Josefin |last2=Short |first2=Graham |last3=Hamilton |first3=Healy |last4=Saarman |first4=Norah |last5=Longo |first5=Sarah |last6=Wainwright |first6=Peter |last7=Rouse |first7=Greg W. |last8=Simison |first8=W. Brian |date=2022-03-27 |title=Phylogenomic analysis of Syngnathidae reveals novel relationships, origins of endemic diversity and variable diversification rates |journal=BMC Biology |language=en |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=75 |doi=10.1186/s12915-022-01271-w |doi-access=free |issn=1741-7007 |pmc=8962102 |pmid=35346180}}</ref>

=== Taxonomy === The following classification is based on ''Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes'', with tribal divisions based on Stiller ''et al'' (2022):<ref name=":13">{{Cite web |last1=Fricke |first1=R. |last2=Eschmeyer |first2=W. N. |last3=Van der Laan |first3=R. |date=2025 |title=ESCHMEYER'S CATALOG OF FISHES: CLASSIFICATION |url=https://www.calacademy.org/eschmeyers-catalog-of-fishes-classification |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=California Academy of Sciences |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> * Family '''Syngnathidae''' Bonaparte, 1831 **Subfamily Nerophinae Kaup, 1853 (trunk-brooding pipefishes)<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Haÿ |first1=Vincent |last2=Mennesson |first2=Marion I |last3=Lord |first3=Clara |last4=Keith |first4=Philippe |date=2023-06-05 |title=Why several when one can unite them all? Integrative taxonomic revision of Indo-Pacific freshwater pipefish (Nerophinae) |url=https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/198/4/923/7190493 |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |language=en |volume=198 |issue=4 |pages=923–956 |doi=10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad007 |issn=0024-4082 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240618113242/https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/198/4/923/7190493 |archive-date=2024-06-18|url-access=subscription }}</ref> ***Genus ''Heraldia'' Paxton, 1975 ***Genus ''Maroubra'' Whitley, 1948 ***Tribe Nerophini ****Genus ''Entelurus'' Duméril, 1870 ****Genus ''Nerophis'' Rafinesque, 1810 ****Genus ''Leptoichthys'' Kaup, 1853 ***Tribe Doryrhamphini ****Genus ''Doryrhamphus'' Kaup, 1856 ****Genus ''Dunckerocampus'' Whitley, 1933 ***Tribe Microphini ****Genus ''Belonichthys'' Peters, 1868 ****Genus ''Choeroichthys'' Kaup, 1856 ****Genus ''Coelonotus'' Peters, 1855 ****Genus ''Microphis'' Kaup, 1853 (=''Doryichthys'') **Subfamily Syngnathinae Bonaparte, 1831 (tail-brooding pipefishes) ***Genus ''Bulbonaricus'' Herald, 1953 ***Genus ''Stipecampus'' Whitley, 1948 ***Genus ''Kimblaeus'' Dawson, 1980 *** Genus ''Kyonemichthys'' Gomon, 2007 ***Genus ''Notiocampus'' Dawson, 1979 ***Tribe Solegnathini (seadragons and allies) ****Genus ''Phycodurus'' Gill, 1896 ****Genus ''Phyllopteryx'' Swainson, 1839 ****Genus ''Solegnathus'' Swainson, 1839 ****Genus ''Syngnathoides'' Bleeker, 1851 ***Tribe Stigmatoporini ****Genus ''Corythoichthys'' Kaup, 1853 ****Genus ''Stigmatopora'' Kaup, 1853 ***Tribe Leptonotini ****Genus ''Apterygocampus'' Weber, 1913 ****Genus ''Bhanotia'' Hora, 1926 ****Genus ''Campichthys'' Whitley, 1931 ****Genus ''Cosmocampus'' Dawson, 1979 (in part) ****Genus ''Hippichthys'' Bleeker, 1849 ****Genus ''Histiogamphelus'' McCulloch, 1914 ****Genus ''Hypselognathus'' Whitley, 1948 ****Genus ''Festucalex'' Whitley, 1931 ****Genus ''Ichthyocampus'' Kaup, 1853 ****Genus ''Leptonotus'' Kaup, 1853 ****Genus ''Micrognathus'' Duncker, 1912 ****Genus ''Minyichthys'' Herald & J. E. Randall, 1972 ****Genus ''Mitotichthys'' Whitley, 1948 **** Genus ''Nannocampus'' Günther, 1870 ****Genus ''Phoxocampus'' Dawson, 1977 ****Genus ''Pugnaso'' Whitley, 1948 ****Genus ''Kaupus'' Whitley, 1951 ****Genus ''Siokunichthys'' Herald, 1953 ****Genus ''Vanacampus'' Whitley, 1951 ****Genus ''Urocampus'' Günther, 1870 ***Tribe Syngnathini ****Genus ''Amphelikturus'' Parr, 1930 ****Genus ''Anarchopterus'' Hubbs, 1935 ****Genus ''Bryx'' Herald, 1940 ****Genus ''Cosmocampus'' Dawson, 1979 (in part) ****Genus ''Enneacampus'' Dawson, 1981 ****Genus ''Halicampus'' Kaup, 1856 ****Genus ''Penetopteryx'' Lunel, 1881 ****Genus ''Pseudophallus'' Herald, 1940 ****Genus ''Syngnathus'' Linnaeus, 1758 (type genus) ***Tribe Haliichthyini ****Genus ''Acentronura'' Kaup, 1853 ****Genus ''Cylix'' Short & Trnski, 2021 ****Genus ''Filicampus'' Whitley, 1948 ****Genus ''Haliichthys'' Gray, 1859 ****Genus ''Idiotropiscis'' Whitley, 1947 ****Genus ''Lissocampus'' Waite & Hale, 1921 ****Genus ''Trachyrhamphus'' Kaup, 1853 ***Tribe Hippocampini **** Genus ''Halicampus'' Kaup, 1856 **** Genus ''Hippocampus'' Rafinesque, 1810 (seahorses) [[File:Hipposyngnathus neriticus Oligozän Jamna Dolna Polen Ch1817.jpg|thumb|Fossil specimen of ''Hipposyngnathus'']]

=== Fossil taxa ===

*Species {{extinct}}"''Syngnathus''" ''bolcensis'' de Zigno, 1887 (Early Eocene of Italy) *Species {{extinct}}"''Syngnathus''" ''heckeli'' de Zigno, 1874 (Early Eocene of Italy) * Genus {{extinct}}''Nepigastrosyngnathus'' Pharisat, 1993 (Early Oligocene of France)<ref name=":0" /> * Genus {{extinct}}''Prosolenostomus'' Blot, 1981 (Early Eocene of Italy) *Subfamily {{extinct}}Pshekhagnathinae Bannikov ''et al''., 2017<ref name=":0" /> **Genus {{extinct}}''Pshekhagnathus'' Bannikov ''et al''., 2017 (Early Oligocene of North Caucasus, Russia) *Subfamily Nerophinae Kaup, 1853 **Genus {{extinct}}''Hipposyngnathus'' Daniltshenko, 1960<ref name=":1" /> (Early Oligocene to Late Miocene of North Caucasus, Poland, and California, USA. Possibly in own family, Eogastrophinae)<ref name=":0" /> **Genus {{extinct}}''Maroubrichthys'' Parin, 1992 (Early Oligocene of North Caucasus, Russia)<ref name=":1" /> *Subfamily Syngnathinae Bonaparte, 1831 **Genus {{extinct}}''Hippohaliichthys'' Žalohar & Hitij, 2017 (Middle Miocene of Slovenia)<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Žalohar |first1=Jure |last2=Hitij |first2=Tomaž |date=2017-04-01 |title=The first known fossil record of pipehorses (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Haliichthyinae) from the Miocene Coprolitic Horizon from the Tunjice Hills, Slovenia |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753396917300253 |journal=Annales de Paléontologie |volume=103 |issue=2 |pages=113–125 |doi=10.1016/j.annpal.2017.04.001 |bibcode=2017AnPal.103..113Z |issn=0753-3969|url-access=subscription }}</ref> **Genus {{extinct}}''Hippotropiscis'' Žalohar & Hitij, 2012 (Middle Miocene of Slovenia)<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Žalohar |first1=Jure |last2=Hitij |first2=Tomaž |date=2012-04-01 |title=The first known fossil record of pygmy pipehorses (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampinae) from the Miocene Coprolitic Horizon, Tunjice Hills, Slovenia |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753396912000055 |journal=Annales de Paléontologie |volume=98 |issue=2 |pages=131–151 |doi=10.1016/j.annpal.2012.02.003 |bibcode=2012AnPal..98..131Z |issn=0753-3969|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==Images== {{clear}} <gallery> File:Hippocampus.jpg|Seahorse File:Leafydragon.jpg|Leafy seadragon File:Phyllopteryx taeniolatus1.jpg|Weedy seadragon File:Ruby seadragon.jpg|Ruby seadragon File:Alligator Pipefish 2.jpg|Pipefish File:Banded Pipefish skeleton.jpg|Skeleton of a banded pipefish (''Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus)'' on display at the Museum of Osteology. </gallery>

== References == {{Reflist|20em}}

== External links == {{Commons category}} {{Wikispecies|Syngnathidae}} * {{EOL}} * {{FishBase family|family = Syngnathidae|month = January|year = 2006 | name-list-style = vanc}} * {{cite web | url = http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/threatened_species/general/synganathids | title = Seahorses and their Relatives | work = NSW Department of Primary Industries - Fisheries | publisher = State of New South Wales | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080501212219/http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/threatened_species/general/synganathids | archive-date = 2008-05-01 }} * {{cite journal | vauthors = Smith, JL | date = 1963 | url = http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1019716 | title = Fishes of the family Syngnathidae from the Red Sea and the Western Indian Ocean. | journal = Ichthyological Bulletin | issue = 27 | location = Grahamstown | publisher = Department of Ichthyology, Rhodes University. | hdl = 10962/d1019716 }}

Category:Syngnathidae Category:Marine fish families Category:Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque Category:Extant Ypresian first appearances