Banded pipefish

Banded pipefish
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Syngnathiformes
Family: Syngnathidae
Genus: Dunckerocampus
Species: D. dactyliophorus
Binomial name
Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus
(Bleeker, 1853)
Synonyms

Syngnathus dactyliophorus Bleeker, 1853
Doryrhamphus dactyliophorus (Bleeker, 1853)

The banded pipefish or ringed pipefish (Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus) is a species of fish in the Syngnathidae (seahorses and pipefish) family.[2][3]

Distribution and habitat

The banded pipefish is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region, Red Sea included.[3] Its range includes Australia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Indonesia, Japan, the Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, South Africa, and Taiwan.[1] It inhabits tide pools, lagoons, and outer reef slopes in tropical climates.[3]

Description

The banded pipefish has a straight, elongated body which reaches a maximum length of 19 cm (7.4 in).[3] It has fleshy streams coming back from its head. These trails are thought to be mechanisms of camouflage for the pipefish whilst hiding in reeds.[4]

Reproduction

Similar to other seahorses and pipefishes, the male banded pipefish is equipped with a specialised brood pouch, rather than the female.[5] The female deposits her eggs in the male's pouch, where they develop. The male later gives birth.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 Sorensen, M. & Vincent, A. (2010). "Doryrhamphus dactyliophorus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN) 2010: e.T6814A12808422. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  2. ↑ "Fish.gov.au". Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2015). "Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus" in FishBase. October 2015 version.
  4. ↑ Günter Berghaus (2004). New Perspectives on Prehistoric Art. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-275-97813-6.
  5. ↑ Marshall Cavendish Corporation, ed. (2004). Encyclopedia of the Aquatic World. Marshall Cavendish. ISBN 0-7614-7418-8.
  6. ↑ Blasiola, George C.; Matthew M. Vriends (2000). The Saltwater Aquarium Handbook. Barron's Educational Series. ISBN 0-7641-1241-4.

External links

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