Ghost pipefishes are a group of small fishes with an unusual appearance. They live in the tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Ghost pipefishes have a real knack for camouflage. There are about five known species, and although they have different styles, they all know how to blend in – from the ornate ghost pipefish (Solenostomus paradoxus) which tends to live among feather stars, to the robust ghost pipefish (Solenostomus cyanopterus) which looks like a piece of algae.
Ghost pipefishes are sometimes also called false pipefishes because they are different from true pipefishes. Just like seahorses and true pipefishes, ghost pipefishes belong to the order Syngnathiformes. However, ghost pipefishes are in a different family, Solenostomidae, than true pipefishes and seahorses, which are in the family Syngnathidae.
One of the biggest differences between the two families is how they reproduce. In true pipefishes and seahorses, the male gives birth to the young. However in ghost pipefishes that role stays with the female. A female ghost pipefish has big pelvic fins that are fused together to create an egg pouch, where she broods their offspring.
One thing they all have in common is a small, long mouth. They use it as a vacuum to suck up small planktonic animals like shrimp. The body is also long, and the skeleton is made of segmented bony plates.
These fish are small – even the biggest species don’t grow to more than 15cm (6inches). They are often found on the edges of coral reefs, floating with their head facing down. Often they are in pairs, with one smaller male and one bigger female.
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This piece was prepared online by Panuruji Kenta, Publisher, SEVENSEAS Media