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.
Photo of Messmate pipefish
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