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Schultz's Pipefish Corythoichthys schultzi Herald 1953
[CAAB 37 282052]

Distribution Map see an interactive map here (new window)

 Schultz's Pipefish is often seen congregating in groups on reef crests and around patchy coral and sandy areas.

Distribution, ecology and habitat:

Widespread in the tropical Indo-Pacific from southern Japan, throughout Micronesia, to Tonga, south to New Caledonia, northern Australia and west to the African coast and Red Sea; usually inhabits coarse sand and rubble areas along reef edges in lagoon and seaward is present. reef, also around sea fans at 1-30 m.

Size:

Reaches 160 mm TL

Food and feeding:

Feeds on small crustaceans sucked up from the sandy substrate or between the branches of soft corals.

Reproduction and early life history:

Reproduction: Ovoviviparous (gives birth to live young). The eggs are brooded by the males in a pouch under the tail. The pouch protects the dorsal surface and side of the egg mass, leaving the ventral surface exposed. Males begin brooding at 90-95 mm TL. Males and females form monogamous pairs.

Eggs: Eggs are deposited in 2-17 transverse rows within a gelatinous matrix.

Larvae: Pelagic; morphologically similar to adults.

Characteristics:

Meristics: D 25-31; P 14-18; Trunk rings 15-17; Tail rings 32-39.

Head and body: Head length 6.0-8.1 in SL, snout long, slender, snout depth 6.6-11.9 in snout length. Margins of superior trunk ridges slightly elevated above dorsum, finely denticulate in juveniles to 60 mm, mainly entire in larger fish; superior trunk ridges moderately to deeply indented between rings; prenuchal and nuchal ridges smooth; snout, elongate, snout length 1.5-2.0 in HL; median snout ridge usually with slight dorsal emargination; eye prominent; nostril morphology variable with two external pores common.

Fins: Dorsal fin point about evenly distributed around the anterior margin of the first tail ring; caudal fin present.

Colour:

Varies with geographic region; usually with dark stripes and spots on side of the snout; trunk with 10 to 15 indistinct bars or prominent stripes, sometimes with ocelli; bands cover 1-2 rings, interspaces about three rings and often lightly shaded with chromatophores; dorsal surface of head behind eyes usually dusky or plain; dorsal ridges with series of orange dashes and sides with elongated spots, sometimes forming series of short lines. Dorsal fin without pale spots.

Similar species:

C. schultzi is the only species of Corythoichthys in which two external naris pores are common. Most similar to C. ocellatus which also has a long head and snout but differs in counts of dorsal fin rays and tail rings (25-31 and 32-39 versus 22-25 and 29-32 in C. ocellatus) and markings on ventral surface of anterior trunk rings.

Fisheries:

Sometimes collected for the aquarium trade.

Conservation Status:

Australian Government Legislation: Marine listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Remarks:

Adult Schultz's Pipefish occur in pairs or small groups out in the open or in crevices and hollows at night.

Other common names:

Long-snouted Pipefish, Guilded Pipefish.

Original citation:

Corythoichthys schultzi Herald 1953, Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus. 202(1): 271, fig. 42, 100 yards offshore in lagoon, Arji Island, Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, depth 6.1-12.2 m.

Etymology:

Corythoichthys is from the Greek, korys, korythos for helmet and ichtys meaning fish. Named for Leonard P. Schultz, former curator in the Division of Fishes, United States National Museum of Natural History from 1936 to 1968.

References:

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

Dawson, C.E. 1977. Review of the Pipefish genus Corythoichthys with description of three new species. Copeia 1977(2): 295-338.

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

Herald, E.S. 1953. Family Syngnathidae: pipefishes. pp. 231-278, figs 36-44 In: Schultz L.P., Herald E.S., Lachner E.A., Welander A.D. & Woods L.P. (eds) Fishes of the Marshall and Marianas Islands. Vol. 1. Families Asymmetrontidae through Siganidae. Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus. 202(1): 1-685, figs. 1-90.

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

Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Seahorses, Pipefishes and their Relatives. Chorleywood, UK: TMC Publishing. 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. Vol. 1. Tokai University Press, Tokyo, Japan. 437 pp.

Michael, S.W. 1998. Reef Fishes Volume 1. A Guide to Their Identification, 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.

Paulus, T. 1999. Family Syngnathidae pp 2264-2276 In: Capenter 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, 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.

Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press.

Vincent, A.C.J., I. Ahnesjö, A. Bergland & G. Rosenqvist. 1992. Pipefishes and seahorses : are they all sex role reversed? Trends in Ecology and Evolution 7: 237-241.

Whiteman, E.A. & I.M. Côté. 2004. Monogamy in marine fishes. Biol. Rev. 79: 351-375.