TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Syngnathiformes (Pipefishes and seahorses)
Family: Syngnathidae (Pipefishes and seahorses)

Genus/species: Haliichthys taeniophorus

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Ribboned Pipefish have elongate scaleless bodies with bony knobs above the eyes and spines on body with a series of bony rings. The body color consists of shades of brown, green and yellow; The snout is tube like with no jaw and a terminal mouth. H. taeniophorus has a single dorsal fin, and its head and body are adorned with leafy appendages. They possess a prehensile tail that is used to attach to seagrass while searching for nearby prey.

Length up to 30.0 cm (11.8 in)

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indo-Pacific: Indonesia south to Australia. Found in protected coastal shallows over or among algae, sea grasses, or floating weeds.

DIET IN THE WILD: Minute invertebrates and small planktonic crustaceans.

REPRODUCTION: They are ovoviviparous. The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail.

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least Concern. This species may be susceptible to being caught as bycatch and/or targeted for use in trade, but this has not been documented. There are no other known threats to this species.

REMARKS: Pipefishes differ from seadragons which lack the brood pouch of seahorses and pipefishes.

References

California Academy of Sciences Animal Attractions

Ron’s flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/3429248779/in/album-72157608441047857/

fishbase fishbase.org/summary/Haliichthys-taeniophorus.html

Arkive  www.arkive.org/ribboned-pipefish/haliichthys-taeniophorus/

IUCN www.iucnredlist.org/details/95882787/0

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-1Pb