Hippichthys heptagonus

Hippichthys heptagonus, the belly pipefish, is a species of freshwater pipefish of the family Syngnathidae. It is found from Kenya and South Africa to the Solomon Islands, and from southern Japan to New South Wales.[1] It is a demersal species, living in the lower parts of rivers and streams, estuary habitats such as mangroves and tidal creeks, and occasionally in large lakes.[1][2] It feeds on small crustaceans, such as copepods and cladocerans, as well as dipteran and ephemopteran larvae.[1] It can grow to lengths of 15 centimetres (5.9 in).[2] This species is ovoviviparous, with females depositing eggs on the males, who in turn give birth to live young several weeks later. Males may brood at 6.5–7.5 centimetres (2.6–3.0 in).[1][2]

Belly pipefish
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Syngnathiformes
Family: Syngnathidae
Genus: Hippichthys
Species:
H. heptagonus
Binomial name
Hippichthys heptagonus
Bleeker, 1849
Synonyms
  • Bombonia djarong Bleeker, 1853
  • Bombonia luzonica Herre, 1927
  • Bombonia uxorius Herre, 1935
  • Corythroichthys matterni Fowler, 1918
  • Corythroichthys pullus Smith & Seale, 1906
  • Hippichthys heptagoneus Bleeker, 1849
  • Hippichthys luzonica Herre, 1927
  • Oxleyana parviceps Ramsay & Ogilby, 1886
  • Syngnathus djarong Bleeker, 1853
  • Syngnathus djarong subsp. luzonica Herre, 1927
  • Syngnathus helfrichii Bleeker, 1855
  • Syngnathus matterni Fowler, 1918
  • Syngnathus parviceps Ramsay & Ogilby, 1886
  • Syngnathus spicifer subsp. djarong Bleeker, 1853
  • Syngnathus spicifer subsp. rivalis Peters, 1868

Identification

Hippichthys heptagonus can be recognized by its brownish colour, alternating dark and light bands along the back and sides, black stripe on the snout, and black bands radiating from the eye.[3]

References
  1. Pollom, R. (2017). "Hippichthys heptagonus". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T169361A58318579. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T169361A58318579.en.
  2. Dawson, C.E. (1985). Indo-Pacific pipefishes (Red Sea to the Americas). The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory Ocean Springs, Mississippi, USA. ISBN 978-0917235009.
  3. Vanessa J. Thompson & Dianne J. Bray. "Hippichthys heptagonus". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 17 January 2018.

Further reading


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