Syngnathidae is a family of fish which includes the seahorses, the pipefishes, and the weedy and leafy sea dragons. Fish of this family have the unique characteristic whereby females lay their eggs and the male then fertilizes and carries the eggs during incubation. There are a several methods for this. Male seahorses have a specialized ventral pouch to carry the eggs, male sea dragons attach the eggs to their tails, and male pipefish may do either, depending on their species. [1] The name is derived from Greek, meaning "fused jaw" - syn meaning fused or together, and gnathus meaning jaws. This fused jaw trait is something the entire family has in common. [2]
^ Sara A. Lourie, Amanda C.J. Vincent and Heather J. Hall: Seahorses: An Identification Guide to the World's Species and their Conversation. London: Project Seahorse, 1999
