In a recent interview, fish scientist Graham Short discussed the discovery of a new species of fish named Solenostomus snuffleupagus, inspired by the Sesame Street character Mr. Snuffleupagus. Short and colleague David Harasti located the elusive fish after a two-decade search, identifying it as a ghost pipefish species that camouflages itself as red algae on coral reefs.
Resembling its namesake, S. snuffleupagus boasts orange-brown coloring, hair-like filaments, and an elephant-like snout. Marine biologist Milton Love praised the creature’s unique appearance as a product of natural selection, jokingly suggesting a whimsical creation theory.
The fish’s elusiveness mirrors that of Mr. Snuffleupagus, only seen by Big Bird in early Sesame Street episodes. Short and Harasti’s joy was palpable when they rediscovered the fish in 2021, confirming its status as a new species through CT scans of specimens collected in 1993.
Despite its small size, about four to five centimeters long, S. snuffleupagus is a carnivorous predator, feeding on tiny fish rather than small crustaceans as previously assumed. Short expressed gratitude for the public interest in the fish and hinted at naming another ghost pipefish species after a different muppet in the future.
