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Davao Pughead Pipefish Bulbonaricus davaoensis Herald 1953
[CAAB 37 282038]

Distribution Map see an interactive map here (new window)

This small secretive species which lives amongst the Galaxy coral Galaxea fascicularis, lacks the tube-like snout of most pipefishes.

Distribution, ecology and habitat:

Widespread in the tropical Indo-West Pacific, from East Africa, the Philippines and across to Fiji; in Australian waters, the species is only known from a single specimen collected off Cape Melville, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland; inhabits coral reefs in association with the coral Galaxea fascicularis at 1.8-8 m.

Size:

Reaches 43 mm TL

Food and feeding:

Not described, but likely to feed on or within the coral Galaxea fascicularis.

Reproduction and early life history:

Reproduction: Ovoviviparous (gives birth to live young). The eggs are brooded by the males in an enclosed pouch on the underside of the tail.

Eggs are 0.5-0.6 mm diameter; deposited in two transverse rows in two layers in the brood pouch.

Larvae: This species has a long pelagic juvenile stage, and planktonic specimens have been collected in the upper 200 m over depths of 610 to 7120 m.

Characteristics:

Meristics: D absent in adults; P absent in adults; Trunk rings 16-17; Tail rings 40-45, total subdorsal rings 7.0-8.5.

Head and body: Frontal process rounded and spine-like; male brood pouch below 20 tail rings, pouch folds voluminous.

Fins are only present in the planktonic stage and the fin-ray counts are D 22-26; P 9-13. The dorsal fin originates on the 2^nd-3^rd tail ring.

Colour:

Metamorphosed demersal specimens are green dorsally with a pale blue median streak, head white anteriorly, ventral margins of opercles bright red.

Similar species:

B. davaoensis has a round spine-like frontal process and lacks marginal spines or denticulations compared to the V-shaped frontal process and spinose or denticulate dorsal margins of B. brauni.

Fisheries:

None.

Conservation Status:

Australian Government Legislation: Bulbonaricus davaoensis is a listed Marine species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act 1999 Marine Species).

Remarks:

The planktonic and demersal stages of these Pipefish differ morphologically. Planktonic specimens have a typical tube-like pipefish snout, dorsal and pectoral fins, in contrast to the ‘pugheaded' demersal specimens that lack these fins.

Original citation:

Ichthyocampus (Bulbonaricus) davaoensis Herald 1953, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. 202(1): 242, fig. 37, Davao Gulf, 6°44'N, 125°46'E, Mindanao Island, Philippines, surface.

Etymology:

Bulbonaricus is from the Latin, bulbus (=bulb) and naricus (= nose). The specific name davaoensis is after the Gulf of Davao, the type locality.

References:

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

Dawson, C.E. 1984. Bulbonaricus Herald (Pisces: Syngnathidae), a senior synonym of Enchelyocampus Dawson and Allen, with description of Bulbonaricus brucei n. sp. from Eastern Africa. Copeia 1984(3): 565-571.

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). Bulbonaricus davaoensis 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@09:58:19.

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.

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.