Straight-nosed pipefish Nerophis ophidion and broad-nosed pipefish Syngnathus typhle avoid eelgrass overgrown with filamentous algae

Abstract

In a habitat choice experiment straight-nosed pipefish Nerophis ophidion and broad-nosed pipefish Syngnathus typhle avoided eelgrass Zostera marina covered with filamentous algae. Both juveniles as well as brooding adult males of the two species clearly preferred to position themselves in Z. marina without growth of filamentous algae.