deepbodied pipefish

Leptonotus blainvilleanus

Fish
IUCN: Least concern

Usual depth0–71 m
Water temperature6–26 °C
Best monthsJanuary, February, and March
How commonRare

Photo credit: (c) Cristhoffer Rodríguez, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist

About this species

The deep-bodied pipefish is a species of marine fish belonging to the family Syngnathidae. They can be found in shallow estuaries and algal beds along the coast of South America from Ecuador to Argentina. Predators of this species include mackerel and the La Plata dolphin. Reproduction occurs through ovoviviparity: the eggs are carried in a pouch under the tail of the male until they hatch.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Deep-bodied pipefish”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

Loading the map

Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 11 records
February: 7 records
March: 11 records
April: 4 records
May: 2 records
June: 2 records
July: 3 records
August: 3 records
September: 3 records
October: 2 records
November: 4 records
December: 6 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 0–71 m · Deepest record: 70.5 m

0–10 m: 3 records
10–20 m: 1 records
20–30 m: 0 records
30–40 m: 0 records
40–50 m: 0 records
50–60 m: 0 records
60–70 m: 1 records
70–80 m: 1 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 6–26 °C

4–6 °C: 1 records
6–8 °C: 1 records
8–10 °C: 0 records
10–12 °C: 5 records
12–14 °C: 3 records
14–16 °C: 4 records
16–18 °C: 0 records
18–20 °C: 0 records
20–22 °C: 0 records
22–24 °C: 0 records
24–26 °C: 1 records

Photos

Names and classification

English: deepbodied pipefish, Deep-bodied Pipefish

Names in 2 more languages

Spanish: Aguja, Aguja de mar grande, Agujilla, Caballito de mar, Pez aguja, Pez pipa, Pipeta
Simplified Chinese: 針海龍, 针海龙, 高体隆背海龙, 高體隆背海龍

Other scientific names: Acmonotus chilensis, Hemithylacus petersii, Leptonotus blainvillianus, Syngnathus acicularis, Syngnathus blainvilleanus

Similar species

longsnouted pipefish
Leptonotus norae
Banded Pipefish
Corythoichthys flavofasciatus
Bloodspot Pipefish
Corythoichthys haematopterus
Banded pipefish
Corythoichthys intestinalis
Bluestripe pipefish
Doryrhamphus excisus
Banded Pipefish
Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
53 open-data records from 1907 to 2000.
Species data updated November 4, 2026.

Log what you see on your next dive

The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.

Join the waitlist