Dusky Pipefish

The dusky pipefish (Syngnathus floridae) is a species of the pipefishes, widespread in the western Atlantic from the Bermuda, Chesapeake Bay (United States), northern part of the Gulf of Mexico, Bahama, and the western Caribbean Sea to Panama in south. Marine subtropical demersal fish, which lives at the depth up to 22 metres (72 ft), usually up to 4 metres (13 ft). The maximal length of the fish is 25 centimetres (9.8 in).

Like other members of the genus Syngnathus, S. floridae demonstrate sex-role reversal between males and females in mating and caring for their young. The females deposit their eggs into a brood pouch in the male during copulation. The males then fertilize the eggs and provide all post-zygotic care by physically carrying the eggs and transferring nutrients to the developing embryos through a placenta-like connection. The eggs hatch about 10 days later and are subsequently independent of their parental support.