Diving with Harlequin Ghostpipefish

Ornate Ghost Pipe Fish

Divers of all kinds just love these fish. Colourful and distinctive, small and delicate, motionless and elongate, they blend in so well with their surroundings that they are near-impossible to find and divers practically drool over sightings.

Pipefish are related to the seahorse and the harlequin ghost pipefish is probably the most beautiful of the family. Other family members include the robust ghostpipefish, banded pipefish and flag-tailed pipe fish. This strange looking little creature can grow up to 15cm but hard to find as most of them are no bigger than your little finger. They are normally found living around crinoids, featherstars, gorgonian fans and branching black coral bushes. Here they live very well camouflaged by their complex colour patterns and body shape. Key to this effect is the fish's skin flaps, which mimic the 'feathers' of the host crinoid.

They have very small territories which they tend to stay in as they are weak swimmers, propelling themselves by rapidly fanning their fins. While this technique allows for very precise control of body position, the range of individuals in this species is limited.

Anyone who really wants to find them will have to be very patient and fond of looking at featherstars for long periods or choose a dive centre with skilled divemasters who know where they are.

Harlequin Ghost Pipefish Fact Sheet

Family name: Solenostomidae - (ghostpipefishes)
Order name: Syngnathiformes (pipe fishes and seahorses)
Common name: Harlequin Ghostpipefish
Scientific name: Solenostomus paradoxus

Distinguishing Features

The harlequin ghost pipe fish has the elongate snout and laterally compressed body that is typical of all syngnathoid fishes. More specific to the Solenostomid's is a dermal skeleton composed of plates, a head region that represents over one third of the total body length and the presence of pelvic fins, two separate dorsal fins, an anal fin and a large ventral fin.

It is further distinguished by the presence of abdominal spinules, additional plates at the dorsal and anal-fin bases and the presence of nasal lamellae filling the nasal cavity of males.

Typical colour patterns include dark red with yellow and orange patches and yellow with lighter spots.

Ornate ghostpipefish are sexually dimorphic (two distinct forms). The females are an average length of 130 mm; males, on average, are 37% smaller. The main difference between males and females is the presence of a ventral brood pouch in females. This difference is most noticeable in the margins of the pelvic fins which are apposed in females and free in males

Reproduction

Ghostpipefish are external skin-brooding species. Embryos are enclosed in an envelope and attached to special epidermal cells called cotylephores. These cells occur only on the inside surface of the pelvic fins of females (the brooders in this species). The pelvic fins of females are expanded and connect to the body and to each other in order to form a brood pouch. Females carry eggs in this pouch during the incubation period. This method allows the female to move her young to a site that is favourable for survival and also decreases the risk of predation during the developmental stage. It has been estimated that a normal brood size may be as high as 350.

Distribution

Harlequin ghost pipefish are normally found in shallow tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region, mainly near coral reefs, rocky drop-offs or seaweed beds. They are usually observed in 3-25 metres of water but you can find them to depths of more than 30 metres. They have been observed at Thailand dive sites such as Richelieu Rock, as well as in the Burma Mergui Archipelago, Indonesia and also throughout Malaysia. They can also be found in the Red Sea, the Maldives, southern Japan, the Marshall Islands, New Guinea, off the east coast of Africa and off the east coast of Australia.

Dive Sites

More detailed information on ghost pipe fish diving destinations:

Australia

Indonesia

Malaysia

Myanmar - Burma

Thailand

Dive The World Recommendations: Burma, Sulawesi and Mabul Island.

• Send for your diving holiday options

Back to creature features index