Messmate pipefish (Corythoichthys intestinalis)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Corythoichthys intestinalis
- Common name
- Messmate pipefish
- Category
- Fish
- Family
- Syngnathidae
- Genus
- Corythoichthys
- Size
- 8–16 cm
- Depth
- 1–25 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- coral-reef, sand
- Behaviours
- pair, cryptic
- Ocean zones
- Asian Pacific, Indian Ocean & Red Sea
Description
Corythoichthys intestinalis reaches 16 cm. Indo-Pacific pipefish with elongated red-brown to pink spotted body with irregular paler patterns. Lives in faithful pairs from 1 to 25 m on sand, rubble and soft corals of central and western Indo-Pacific. Typical Syngnathidae behavior: male gestator brooding eggs in ventral pouch. Macro photo subject for muck and coral dives, more spotted than C. flavofasciatus. Often both visible simultaneously as pair.
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Messmate pipefish?
- Messmate pipefish (Corythoichthys intestinalis) reaches 8–16 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Messmate pipefish?
- Messmate pipefish is found between 1–25 m deep.
- Is the Messmate pipefish dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Messmate pipefish?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Messmate pipefish?
- Found in: Asian Pacific, Indian Ocean & Red Sea.
Other species in the genus Corythoichthys
Other species in the family Syngnathidae
- Hippocampus guttulatus - Long-snouted seahorse
- Hippocampus pontohi - Pontoh's pygmy seahorse
- Hippocampus denise - Denise's pygmy seahorse
- Hippocampus severnsi - Severns' pygmy seahorse
- Hippocampus hippocampus - Short-snouted seahorse
- Doryrhamphus excisus - Flagtail pipefish
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 217995)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2333131)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia