''Histiogamphelus'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of fish known as the crested pipefishes. They belong to the family

Syngnathidae The Syngnathidae is a family of fish which includes seahorses, pipefishes, and seadragons ('' Phycodurus'' and '' Phyllopteryx''). The name is derived from (), meaning "together", and (), meaning "jaw". The fused jaw is one of the traits that ...

and are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the southern coast of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

and

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

. They have a characteristic "crest" on the snout, which can help distinguish them from other related genera within the sub-family

Syngnathinae Pipefishes or pipe-fishes (Syngnathinae) are a subfamily of small fishes, which, together with the seahorses and seadragons (''Phycodurus'' and ''Phyllopteryx''), form the family Syngnathidae. Description Pipefish look like straight-bodied seah ...

. Their brown-tan coloration may mimic the

Posidonia ''Posidonia'' is a genus of flowering plants. It contains nine species of marine plants ("seagrass"), found in the seas of the Mediterranean and around the south coast of Australia. The APG system (1998) and APG II system (2003) accept this ge ...

sea grass Seagrasses are the only flowering plants which grow in marine (ocean), marine environments. There are about 60 species of fully marine seagrasses which belong to four Family (biology), families (Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae, Hydrocharitaceae and ...

in which they are often found. Like all syngnathids, the male broods the eggs in a brood pouch (in this genus located under the tail).

Species

There are currently two recognized species in this genus: * ''

Histiogamphelus briggsii ''Histiogamphelus'' is a genus of fish known as the crested pipefishes. They belong to the family Syngnathidae and are endemic to the southern coast of Australia and Tasmania. They have a characteristic "crest" on the snout, which can help disti ...

'' McCulloch, 1914 (Briggs' pipefish) * '' Histiogamphelus cristatus'' W. J. Macleay, 1881 (Macleay's crested pipefish)

References

Syngnathidae Ray-finned fish genera {{Syngnathiformes-stub