[3] This genus is included in the family Aulorhynchidae in the suborder Gasterosteoidei of the order Scorpaeniformes in the 5th edition of Fishes of the World.

It physically resembles the sticklebacks, but has a thinner, longer body, with 24 to 27 small spines in front of the dorsal fin.

Whereas sticklebacks use this secretion to bind plant matter together to create a nest, the tube-snout simply attaches its eggs to a substrate.

The nests are found at depths of 10–20 m and have been recorded up to 38 m.[7] The tubesnout feeds on small planktonic crustaceans, including amphipods, mysids, and crab larvae.

The tubesnout is found in shallow marine waters off the Pacific coast of North America to a depth of 30 m (98 ft), from Prince William Sound in Alaska to Rompiente, Baja California.