Syngnathiformes

Syngnathiformes is an order of ray-finned fishes that includes seahorses, pipefishes, seadragons, and several related groups. Many have elongated bodies and specialized snouts.

Syngnathidae: A fish family that includes seahorses, pipefishes, and seadragons. This family contains the order’s best-known lineages and many of its distinctive forms.
Suction feeding: A feeding method in which rapid mouth expansion draws prey and water into the mouth. Many syngnathiforms use narrow snouts to generate suction and capture small prey.
Seahorse trade: The commercial collection and sale of seahorses, especially for traditional medicine and souvenirs. Trade pressures affect numerous syngnathid species and complicate their conservation.
Fish phylogeny: The evolutionary history and relationships among fishes. Genetic studies revise the relationships and boundaries of fish orders, including Syngnathiformes.
Solenostomidae: A family of tropical marine fishes commonly called ghost pipefishes. Ghost pipefishes are a separate syngnathiform family, not members of Syngnathidae.
Prehensile tail: A tail adapted to grasp and hold objects or vegetation. Seahorses use their tails to anchor themselves in currents and among seagrass.
CITES: An international agreement regulating trade in wild animals and plants. All seahorse species are listed under CITES, which regulates their international trade.
Molecular phylogenetics: The study of evolutionary relationships using molecular sequence data. DNA evidence has helped test which fish families belong together in this order.
Pegasidae: A family of small marine fishes known as seamoths or dragonfishes. Seamoths represent another distinctive family included in Syngnathiformes.
Male pregnancy: A reproductive system in which males carry developing embryos in a specialized structure. Male brooding is a defining reproductive specialization of seahorses and many pipefishes.

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