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Ridgenose Pipefish Halicampus dunckeri Chabanaud 1929
[CAAB 37 282066]

Distribution Map see an interactive map here (new window)

This widespread tropical species prefers sandy or rubble habitats near coral reefs. This species varies morphologically between geographic regions.

Distribution, ecology and habitat:

Tropical, Indo-west Pacific, Red Sea to the Solomon Islands, north to southern Japan, south to Australia, the Coral Sea and Micronesia; inhabits sand and rubble habitats near coral reefs to more than 20 m.

Size:

To 120 mm SL

Food and feeding:

Preys on small planktonic crustaceans.

Reproduction and early life history:

Reproduction: Ovoviviparous (gives birth to live young). The eggs brooded are by the males in a semi-exposed pouch under the trunk. The pouch folds fall well short of the midline of the egg-filled pouch. Males may begin brooding at 75 mm SL.

Eggs: Not described

Larvae: Morphologically similar to adults at birth.

Characteristics:

Meristics: D 16-20; A 2-3; P 10-13; Trunk rings 14; Tail rings 31-36.

Head and body: Head length 9.6-14.7 in SL; short snout, snout length 3.0-4.4 in head length; snout depth 1.8-3.1 in snout length; median dorsal snout ridge continuous, elevated, the margin denticulate to spinulose posteriorly; eye large.

Fins: Pectoral fin base low to clearly elevated with entire to minutely serrate margins.

Colour:

Colour varies from pale to brown and black with 10-11 irregular, diffuse, pale or dark bands on sides and dorsal surface of body, and indications of dark bars on ventral surface of the trunk rings; snout tip often pale in dark specimens.

Similar species:

H. dunckeri is most similar to H. boothae but has lower numbers of tail rings (31-36 versus 37-42) and attains a smaller size (120 mm SL versus at least 165 mm in H. boothae).

Fisheries:

Sometimes collected for the aquarium or curio trade.

Conservation Status:

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

Remarks:

A number of different morphological types have been described from various geographic regions, and there is some uncertainty whether H. dunckeri constitutes a variable species, or whether the name includes more than one species.

Other common names:

Duncker's Pipefish, Nose-ridge Pipefish, Red-hair Pipefish.

Original citation:

Micrognathus dunckeri Chabanaud 1929, Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr. 54: 170, Ambon, Indonesia (as Amboine).

Etymology:

Halicampus is from the Greek, als, alis for salt and the Greek, kampe meaning bend.

References:

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

Chabanaud, P. 1929. Remarques sur divers poisons de la famille des Syngnathidae et description de deux espèces nouvelles de l'Inde Archipèlagique. Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr. 54: 165-172.

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. Smiths' Sea Fishes. Macmillan South Africa, Johannesburg. 1047 pp, 144 pls.

Fricke, R. 2004. Review of the pipefishes and seahorses (Teleostei: Syngnathidae) of New Caledonia, with descriptions of five new species. Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde. Serie A (Biologie). 66S: 1-66.

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.

Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian reef fishes. A comprehensive guide to the coral reef fishes of Micronesia. 3rd revised ed. Coral Graphics, Guam. 330 pp, 192 pls.

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 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.

Randall, J.E. 2005. Reef and shore fishes of the South Pacific. New Caledonia to Tahiti and the Pitcairn Islands. 707 pp.

Senou, H. & M. Aizawa. 1993. Two rare species of the genus Halicampus (Pisces; Syngnathidae) from the Ryukyu Islands. I. O. P. Diving News 4(1): 4-5. [In Japanese, English abstract.]