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Tryon's Pipefish Campichthys tryoni Ogilby 1890
[CAAB 37 282041]

Distribution Map see an interactive map here (new window)

Tryon's Pipefish is one of many small pipefishes known from only a few specimens collected in Queensland waters, and possibly a single damaged specimen from South Australian waters.

Distribution, ecology and habitat:

This tropical endemic species is known only from Lindeman Island to Southport, Queensland; inhabits shallow rubble areas in estuaries, inner reef flats and reef margins bordering on sand channels. Unlikely to occur in South Australian waters. The record was based on a small damaged specimen and is the only record from South Australian waters.

Size:

Attains 75 mm

Food and feeding:

Unknown, but presumed to prey on small crustaceans.

Reproduction and early life history:

Reproduction: Ovoviviparous (gives birth to live young) with eggs brooded by the males in an enclosed pouch on the underside of the trunk; males may be brooding at a length of 60-65mm.

Eggs: Not described.

Larvae: Not described but likely to be pelagic and morphologically similar to adults at birth.

Characteristics:

Meristics: D 17-19; P 7-9; A 3-4; C 10; Trunk rings 16-17; Tail rings 33-35; Subdorsal rings 1.25-0.25 + 3.00-4.00 = 4.00-4.75 .

Head and body: Body slender and elongate, trunk shallow; head aligned with body; snout length 31-39% HL, depth 50-67% snout length; median dorsal snout ridge sometimes emarginate but without marginal crests or projections; longitudinal opercular ridge angled upward, usually incomplete in adults; tail not prehensile, thick at tip; lateral trunk ridge usually ending on 2^nd tail ring.

Fins: dorsal fin short-based, centred on back; anal fin tiny; pectoral fins small; caudal fin small, rounded.

Colour:

Mostly tan with brownish markings, usually with pale blotch above opercle and with small pale spots or blotches on dorsal and posterior margins. Males often with irregular dark bars on underside of trunk.

Similar species:

The elevated snout ridge is similar to that of Stipecampus cristatus but Tryon's Pipefish differs in, among other features, the lateral trunk configuration and higher trunk ring count. C. tryoni is distinguished from other species in the genus by the combination of a continuous elevated snout ridge, 16-17 trunk rings, 10 caudal rays and 8 pectoral rays.

Fisheries:

None

Conservation Status:

Australian Government Legislation: Campichthys tryoni is a listed Marine species under under s248 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act 1999 Marine Species).

Remarks:

Tryon's Pipefish is usually secretive and shelters under large pieces of rubble.

Other common names:

None.

Original citation:

Ichthyocampus tryoni Ogilby 1890, Rec. Aust. Mus. 1(3): 56, Moreton Bay, QLD.

Etymology:

Campichthys is from the Greek, kampe = curvature, bent and the Greek, ichthys = fish.

References:

Dawson, C.E. 1977. Synopsis of syngnathine pipefishes usually referred to the genus Ichthyocampus Kaup, with description of new genera and species. Bull. Mar. Sci. 27(4): 595-650.

Dawson, C.E. 1985. Indo-Pacific Pipefishes (Red Sea to the Americas). Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, Ocean Springs, Mississippi. 230 pp.

Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2008). Campichthys tryoni in Species Profile and Threats Database, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra. Available from: http://www.environment.gov.au/sprat. Accessed 2008-04-15@09:48:19.

Gomon, M.F. 1994. Family Syngnathidae. pp. 440-474 figs 391-426 In Gomon M.F., C.J.M. Glover & R.H. Kuiter (eds.) The fishes of Australia's south coast. State Print, Adelaide. 992 pp, 810 figs.

Hoese, D.F., D.J. Bray, J.R. Paxton & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells (eds). Zoological catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. 2178 pp.

Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Seahorses, Pipefishes and their Relatives. TMC Publishing, Chorleywood, UK. 240 pp.

Ogilby, J.D. 1890. Descriptions of two new species of Australian Lophobranchiate fishes. Rec. Aust. Mus. 1(3): 55-56.

Paulus, T. 1999. Family Syngnathidae. pp 2264-2276, In Capenter K.E. & Niem V.H. (eds) The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide For Fisheries Purposes. FAO Vol. 4. pp 2069-2790.

Pogonoski, J.J., D.A. Pollard & J.R. Paxton. 2002. Conservation Overview and Action Plan for Australian Threatened and Potentially Threatened Marine and Estuarine Fishes, Environment Australia, Canberra. 375 pp. http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/publications/marine-fish-action/index.html