Seahorse Relative Pipefish Fossil from California

Description: Presented is a well-preserved optimum sized specimen of this interesting family of fish. The plate was cracked and repaired. Syngnathidae is a family of fish which include the seahorses, the pipefishes, and the weedy and leafy sea dragons. They are characterised by their elongated snouts, fused jaws, the absence of pelvic fins, and by thick plates of bony armour covering the body. The armour gives them a rigid body, so that they have to swim by rapidly fanning their fins.