This is the only known species in the genera.

D 33-41, A 5, C 11, P 21-23 R 22-28 + 18-24 SDR 3.5-2.0 + 5.0-6.75 = 7.75-9.25 Snout 71-77% head length OR absent in adults B:T tail much shorter than body.

Distinguishing characteristics: The head of L. fistularus has a distinctive translucent appearance and the bright golden eye and green operculum are almost always found. The elongated lanceolate (leaf like) caudal fin on the tail, compared with the finless prehensile tails of the Stigmatopora sp. , the Spotted Pipefish and the Wide-body Pipefish, distinguishes the Brush-tail Pipefish from these other southern Australian pipefish species with an elongated snout. The Brush-tail Pipefish is the largest of southern Australian pipefish at 65 cm and is one of the largest in the world.

Range: This species is found from Melbourne, Victoria, in Tasmania and to upper Spencer Gulf, South Australia, then in the Albany coastline, Western Australia. Although this species is widely distributed across southern Australia and Tasmania there are few museum records. The paucity of records is probably due to sampling bias. Extensive areas of this habitat remain in undeveloped estuaries and bays and this wide spread species appears secure.

Distribution: Common in inshore seagrass in South Australia from 1m below low tide.

Habitat: The Brush-tail Pipefish is found in a wide range of depths in extensive seagrass meadows of broad-leaved Zostera and Posidonia sea grasses. 

Reproduction: The eggs are brooded on the open underside of trunk and the brood patch almost reaches the first trunk ring. From specimens in the South Australian Museum the Brush-tail Pipefish is recorded with eggs from October until January, the eggs are large 3.5mm, brooding male total length was from 152-235 mm, egg numbers found were from 15-41. Examination of total egg cups in brood pouches indicated the maximum clutch size in this sample was 45 eggs.