Common Bellowsfish, Macroramphosus scolopax (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common Snipefish, Long Nosed Snipefish, Longspine Snipefish, Snipefish
Click to enlarge image
© Ken Graham/ DPI Fisheries
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Macroramphosus
- Species
- scolopax
- Family
- Macroramphosidae
- Order
- Syngnathiformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- In Australia the Common Bellowsfish is reported to grow to 18 cm in length. A recent paper (see Borges, 2001, below) records a 22.8 cm long (total length) specimen from the Atlantic Ocean off Portugal.
Introduction
The Common Bellowsfish is pink to orange above fading to silvery below. The genus is in need of revision, as currently the Common Bellowsfish is the only species of Macroramphosus recorded from temperate waters worldwide.
Identification
The Common Bellowsfish is an oval-shaped fish with an extremely long snout and a long, serrated second dorsal spine. The rigid body is highly compressed and has a bony ridge and several scutes on the belly. It is pink to orange above fading to silvery below. Juveniles are silvery-blue.
The genus is in need of revision. Currently there is only a single species of Macroramphosus recorded from temperate waters worldwide.
Distribution
In Australia, the species is recorded from southern Queensland, south to Victoria and into the Great Australian Bight.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
References
- Gomon, M.F. in Gomon, M.F, Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Seahorses, Pipefishes and their Relatives. A Comprehensive Guide to Syngnathiformes. TMC Publishing Pp. 240.
- Borges, L. 2001. A new maximum length for the Snipefish Macroramphosus scolopax. Cybium. 25(2); 191-192.
