Samoan pipefish | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Syngnathiformes |
Family: | Syngnathidae |
Genus: | Halicampus |
Species: | H. mataafae |
Binomial name | |
Halicampus mataafae | |
Synonyms [2] | |
Corythoichthys mataafaeJordan & Seale, 1906 |
The Samoan pipefish, or brown pipefish (Halicampus mataafae), is a species of marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea, to Sodwana Bay, to Taiwan, the Marshall Islands, and Samoa, where it inhabits tidepools and coral and rocky reefs to depths of 15 metres (49 ft). [1] [3] It is a solitary species with cryptic habits and is rarely observed. [2] It is likely to feed on small crustaceans, and can grow to lengths of 14 centimetres (5.5 in). This species is ovoviviparous, with males carrying the fertilised eggs in a brood pouch, the folds of which fall well short of the centre of the egg-filled pouch, [4] eventually giving birth to live young. [1] [3]
The specific name honours Mataafa, a former king of Samoa. [5] It is a listed marine species under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. [4]
H. mataafae can be identified by its reddish-brown colouring and small pale spots on its trunk and tail. [4]