Meet Solenostomus Snuffleupagus - A Species Of Hairy Ghost Pipefish Named After A Muppet

Added: 2026-05-21

[00:00:00]This little creature is a brand new species of ghost pipefish. Related to seahorses, these animals breed the more traditional way with the females brooding the eggs. This new species was first spotted off the coast of Papua New Guinea in 2003, but remained elusive for the researchers trying to describe it.

[00:00:18]Measuring just 3 cm long, the species resembles algae and even moves in the same way in the water column. Despite its beautiful and elegant appearance, CT scans have revealed that this species is actually a predator.

[00:00:30]The scans show skeletons within the body of the ghost pipefish, suggesting that it consumes even smaller fish rather than just crustaceans and plankton as previously thought. The new species is named Solenostomus Snuffleupagus after the Sesame Street character Mr. Snuffleupagus that has a long snout and hairy appearance.