Fish Fossil - Syngnathus sp. (Pipefish)

Pipefish are a widespread group of tropical marine and freshwater fish most closely related to the more well-known seahorses. Their unique elongated and heavily armored bodies along with their tube-like snouts make pipefish, both extinct and modern, almost unmistakable for any other species. These well preserved and larger-sized fossils originate from the Monterey Formation in California, from the middle Miocene around 12-16 million years ago. Each specimen is expertly prepared, several include multiple pipefish specimens on the same slab.