The Lyons Share

Pipe dreams

Posted by Graeme Lyons , Friday, 18 April 2025 19:52

Snake Pipefish (top left), Straight-nosed Pipefish (top right), Nilsson's Pipefish (bottom left) and Worm Pipefish (bottom right).

I found an unexpected new fish this morning, during a an unexpected trip to The Pound with Oli and sons, on a very unremarkable low tide. In fact, I only just about got onto the reef before the tide started coming in. I swept some Wireweed in one pool and found what I thought was the common Worm Pipefish, but the snout was clearly too long when I showed it to Oli and his sons. By the time I got home and looked at the photos, I realised it was likely a Snake Pipefish, and got that confirmed on the Porcupine Marine Natural History Society FB page. I think this is the cutest one I have seen yet!

It was clearly an immature (it was the size of a typical Worm Pipefish). As Worm Pipefish is the smallest species, and apparently Snake Pipefish gets the biggest, its clear that all pipefish are at one time in their life, the size of a Worm Pipefish, and therefore it's really important to check the snout closely on anything that look like a Worm Pipefish. This is my 98th fish in the British Isles, and my 5th pipefish. The 5th being Greater Pipefish, which I have only seen during SxIFCA small fish surveys. 

This means there is only one pipefish that I am yet to see - Deep-snouted Pipefish. I might have to try and make that a target in 2025.

In other news, I have pretty much done my April field work now (this is what my year will mostly look like). 

And at the south east level. Some 4,489 records entered so far this year...