NANFA-- Re: nanfa V1 #1308

Dave McNeely (dlmcneely_at_lunet.edu)
Tue, 25 Jun 2002 10:55:32 -0500

----- Original Message -----
From: "nanfa" <owner-nanfa-digest_at_aquaria.net>
To: <nanfa-digest_at_aquaria.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2002 10:48 AM
Subject: nanfa V1 #1308

>
> nanfa Tuesday, June 25 2002 Volume 01 : Number
1308
>
>
Take a look at Robbins et al.'s Peterson's Field Guide to Atlantic Coast
Fishes. Page and Burr do not include freshwater pipefishes because there
are none, strictly speaking. But almost any coastal pipefish may be
expected to occur in freshwater, often some distance from the sea. For a
more technical reference, take a look at McEachran and Fechhelm's Fishes of
the Gulf of Mexico Volume I, and Hoese and Moore's Fishes of the Gulf of
Mexico. Publishers respectively, UT Press and Texas A&M Press (do you think
it interesting that these particular two publishers each put out a book with
the same title and coverage? I found no maroon on the cover of the Hoese
book, but the UT logo -- an orange steer head -- appears on the McEachran
book). Both books are excellent.
> > Subject: NANFA-- ID help wanted - freshwater pipefish in N. Florida
>
> I was out collecting yesterday, and was absolutely flabbergasted to catch
a 3"
> gold/green long pipefish in some backwater weeds in the Sante Fe River.
> Guesstimating from my DeLorme book this is approx 55 miles from the sea
( into
> the Gulf of Mexico, via the Suwannee River) and per my hobbyist hydrometer
the
> salinity is 0.00. I was not catching exactly what I was hoping to catch,
but
> it absolutely never crossed my mind that I might be catching pipefish.
Given
> the first one, catches #2 (5" green) , #3 (3" green) and #4 (5" green)
were
> somewhat less amazing, but equally pleasing.
>
> At the moment I do not have a px to show you.
>
> Page et al doesn't list any freshwater pipefish, but some other source
I've
> seen says that the gulf pipefish (Syngnathus scovelli) can be found a good
> distance inland. And it's supposedly the most common florida pipefish.
>
> However, the very uncommon opossum pipefish (Microphis brachyurus
brachyurus)
> reportedly breeds in fresh or close to fresh water. My understanding is
that
> this is documented as being localized around the south end of Indian River
> Lagoon (Ft. Pierce area, Atlantic side.) ... but apparently there are at
least
> a couple of reports of these guys also being found in the north gulf .. so
(if
> those are accurate), this isn't necessarily impossible, either.
>
> Anybody know how an amateur can tell the difference between the gulf and
> opossum pipefish ? (Given the scant materials I have on pipefish, this is
> like trying to pick the perp out of a police lineup at the Elvis
> Impersonators' Convention.)
>
> Or if anyone has any ideas of other likely candidates for what these might
be,
> I'd be keen to hear those too.
>
> regards
>
> Doug Dame
> Interlachen FL

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