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Girdled Pipefish Festucalex cinctus Ramsay 1882
[CAAB 37 282061]

Distribution Map see an interactive map here (new window)

This secretive species has a broad head and leafy appendages on the dorsal ridges.

Distribution, ecology and habitat:

Endemic to tropical and temperate waters of the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales; found in inshore rubble and sandy habitats with some algal or sponge growth in 10-30 m.

Size:

Grows to a length of 160 mm.

Food and feeding:

Unknown, but likely to feed on planktonic and benthic micro-crustaceans.Unknown, but likely to feed on planktonic and benthic micro-crustaceans.

Reproduction and early life history:

Reproduction: Ovoviviparous (gives birth to live young). The eggs are brooded by the males in semi-exposed pouch under the trunk. The protective plates of the pouch are distinct and the pouch folds barely meet on the midline of and egg-filled pouch. Males may begin brooding at 9.9 mm SL.

Eggs: Undescribed, but in single 2-row layer in membranous egg compartments of the pouch.

Larvae: Undescribed.

Characteristics:

Meristics: D 21-28; P 12-14, C 10; Trunk rings 16-18; Tail rings 36-39.

Head and body: Head and body smooth, without spines or prominent ridges; some leafy appendages on back. Head broad, snout slender. Superior and inferior ridges of trunk continuous with corresponding ridges of tail; principle ridges of last 1-2 tail rings modified, usually with projecting knobs or spinelike margins.

Fins: Pectoral fin base protruding laterally without ridges in adults.

Colour:

Variable in colour, usually dark grey or orange-brown, occasionally pale or blackish; body irregularly mottled, usually with 14-15 diffuse tan or pale bars crossing the dorsal surface; opercle usually orange, persistent pale bar typically on postorbital.

Similar species:

The modified posterior tail rings, the pale postorbital bar and opercular margin and the usually abundant dermal flaps are characteristic of F. cinctus and separate it from other species. F. scalaris has similar total ring counts but has brown spotting on the head and the venter of the body is barred compared to no head spots and a plain venter in F. cinctus.

Fisheries:

None, although the species has been taken as bycatch in trawls.

Conservation Status:

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

State Government Legislation: Protected under the New South Wales Fisheries Management Act.

Remarks:

Specimens from northern Queensland and the Northern Territory appear to differ from those in New South Wales and may represent a different species .

Other common names:

Orange-cheek Pipefish.

Original citation:

Syngnathus cinctus Ramsay 1882, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. (1)7(1): 111, Port Jackson, NSW.

Etymology:

Festucalex is from the Latin, festuca meaning stalk, straw coloured. The specific name cinctus is from the Latin cincta meaning to gird.

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.

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. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Crawford House Press, Bathurst. 437 pp.

Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland Press, Australia. 433 pp.

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

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.

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

Ramsay, E.P. 1882. Notes on Apogon güntheri of Castelnau, and descriptions of two new fishes from N.S.W. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. (1)7(1): 110-112.