Question:

Hi, I am a Science teacher here in Northern Califrornia. My students caught a fish that we could use help identifying. We caught it just north of The Golden Gate Bridge. It is a very thin needle like fish with characteristics indicative of perhaps Hippocampus? It looks like a needle fish with a shorter snout. The whole fish is 17 cm long with rough scalie skin. It has pectoral type fins extending laterally just behind its head and a tail but no other visible fins. Can you help us with common and or scientific name?

Answer:

My guess, without seeing a picture of it, would be that it is some species of pipefish. The long, slender description, along with the rough scaly skin and characteristics of a seahorse, make me think ...

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