Trumpetfishes

Scientific name : Aulostomidae

Trumpet fishes have elongate shape, horse like head, are normally solitary, they hover close to gorgonians, featherstars or large fishes. Colour brown-grey with bandes or bright yellow.
Bony fishes belonging to the order Syngnathyformes. They share with other members of the same order the tubular snout with terminal teethless mouth.
Rounded tail, dorsal and anal fins symmetrical and close to the tail.
Swimming propulsion is given by the pectoral fins and by the undulating tail and dorsal-anal fins. Caudal is used as rudder, and helps in the final jump on the prey.
Common on reef front and along the external reef. They prey on small fish, approaching unobserved and sucking them through the tubular snout.
A certain similarity with the cornet fishes (Fistulariidae), that are more elongate and with a thin filament in the midle of the tail.
Only one species living in our area.