Bentstick Pipefish

Q: Where can you find Bentstick Pipefish?

Bentstick Pipefish can be found in: Bali, Egypt East, Mariana Islands, Australia West, Saudi Arabia West, Malaysia East, Taiwan, Australia North, Malaysia West, Somalia East, Vanuatu, Sudan, Brunei, China, Myanmar, Eritrea, Australia, Kenya, Qatar, India, Israel, Japan South, India East, Thailand East, Thailand West, Israel South, Indo-Pacific West, Oman, Somalia North, Australia East, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Vietnam, Seychelles, Cambodia, Indo-Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Bangladesh, Singapore, Tanzania, Malaysia, Kuwait, Bahrain, South Africa, Red Sea, Japan, Indonesia, Mozambique, Jordan, Palau, Philippines, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Micronesia, Egypt, Yemen, Mascarene Islands, Madagascar, Djibouti, Comoros, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Somalia.

Trachyrhamphus bicoarctatus

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Max Depth

42 m

Trachyrhamphus bicoarctatus is a species of marine fish belonging to the family Syngnathidae. They can be found in reefs, seagrass beds, and sandy habitats throughout the Indo-Pacific from East Africa to New Caledonia and from Japan to Australia.

Other names: Double-ended Pipefish, Bend Stick Pipefish, Chocolate Pipefish, Ringed Pipefish, Short-tailed Pipefish or Stick Pipefish.

Description

It has a long snout and a head that projects at a slight angle to the body. Its colouration is variable from from whitish to yellowish, greenish, brown or black, usually with fine speckling and a series of pale saddles.

It often raise itself off the bottom, bending its head at an angle to feed on zooplankton drifting by in the current.

Distribution

Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to New Caledonia, north to southern Japan; Mariana Islands in Micronesia.

Habitat and biology

It inhabits subtidal lagoon and seaward reefs, usually among algae or seagrasses. Most are seen on sand and mud areas, prone to currents; usually soft bottom to about 25 m.

Ovoviviparous. The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail. Males of this species are considered mature when they reach approximately 26 centimeters long, but adults can grow to be lengths of 40 centimeters. Reproduction occurs through ovoviviparity in which males brood eggs before giving live birth.