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Sculptured Pipefish Choeroichthys sculptus Günther 1870
[CAAB 37 282045]

Distribution Map see an interactive map here (new window)

This short-snouted pipefish lives on shallow coral reefs and seagrass beds on the Great Barrier Reef.

Distribution, ecology and habitat:

Tropical Indo-West Pacific from East Africa, across the Indian Ocean to Indonesia, Australia, Micronesia, Japan, Tonga; in Australian waters, known from off northwestern Australia and the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland; inhabits coral reef flats and seagrass habitats in 2-4 m.

Size:

Reaches 85 mm TL.

Food and feeding:

Likely to feed on small crustaceans.

Reproduction and early life history:

Reproduction: Ovoviviparous (gives birth to live young). Males may be brooding at a length of 45 mm.

Eggs: brooded by males in enclosed pouch on underside of trunk  and usually in a single layer of two parallel rows.

Larvae: Undescribed, but likely to be pelagic and morphologically similar to adults at birth.

Characteristics:

Meristics: D 27-34; P 19-22; Trunk rings 18-21; Tail rings 21-25; Subdorsal rings 6.25-8.25.

Head and body: Snout short, depth 3.5 or less in length; ridges smooth to finely denticulate; trunk and tail rings typically notched between rings; scutella conspicuous each with projecting ridge or keel; without knob-like projections on rear margins of trunk rings; odontid processes usually conspicuous under magnification, premaxillary projections bluntly pointed.

Fins: Dorsal fin tiny, not bicoloured.

Colour:

Overall tan to dark brownish-black with small black spots and some white speckles dorsally; males with small white ocelli in a parallel series along the trunk.

Similar species:

The keeled scutella of C. sculptus readily distinguishes this species from others in the genus Choeroichthys.

Fisheries:

None.

Conservation Status:

In Australia, Marine listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Remarks:

Known in Australia from only a few specimens.

Other common names:

None known.

Original citation:

Doryichthys sculptus Günther 1870, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. 8: 185, Fiji.

Etymology:

Choeroichthys is from the Greek choiros (pig) and ichthys (fish). The specific name sculptus is from the Latin sculptus (carve) in reference to the conspicuous keeled scutella.

References:

Allen, G.R. & M. Adrim. 2003. Coral reef fishes of Indonesia. Zool. Stud. 42(1): 1-72.

Dawson, C.E. 1976. Review of the Indo-Pacific Pipefish genus Choeroichthys (Pisces: Syngnathidae), with descriptions of two new species. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 89(3): 39-66

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

Dawson, C.E. 1986. Family No. 145: Syngnathidae. pp. 445-458. In Smith M.M. & P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Macmillan, Johannesburg South Africa. 1047 pp, 144 pls.

Günther, A. 1870. Catalogue of the Fishes in the British Museum. British Museum Vol. 8, 549 pp.

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.

Kuiter, R.H. & T. Tonozuka. 2001. Pictorial guide to Indonesian reef fishes. Part 1. Eels- Snappers, Muraenidae - Lutjanidae. Zoonetics, Australia. 302 pp.

Masuda, H., K. Amaoka, C. Araga, T. Uyeno & T. Yoshino. 1984. The fishes of the Japanese Archipelago. Tokai Univ. Press. Fish. Japanese Arch. Text: 437 pp, Atlas:  370 pls.

Michael, S.W. 1998. Reef Fishes Volume 1. A guide to theiriIdentification, behaviour and captive care. Microcosm Ltd. Shellbourne, Vermont. 624 pp.

Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian reef fishes: a comprehensive guide to the coral reef fishes of Micronesia. 3rd revised and expanded edition. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 330 pp.

Nakabo, T. 2002. (ed.) Fishes of Japan with pictorial keys to the species. English edition. Tokai University Press. vol. 1, 866 pp.

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

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.

Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Publishing, Bathurst, NSW. 557 pp.