Halicampus dunckeri (Chabanaud, 1929)
Duncker's pipefish
Halicampus dunckeri
photo by Brett, O.J. / www.tropicalfavourites.com

Family:  Syngnathidae (Pipefishes and seahorses), subfamily: Syngnathinae
Max. size:  15 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 5 - 25 m
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea to the Solomon Islands, north to southern Japan, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef; Belau [=Palau] and Pohnpei in Micronesia.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-20; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 2-3. Brownish to near black in color; tip of snout pale, often with irregular pale bars on dorsum of body (Ref. 4281). Snout short with rounded dorsal ridge, and large eyes (Ref. 48635). Description: Characterized by mottled brown to pale grey or whitish color, sometimes with 10-11 irregular diffuse pale or dark bars on side and dorsum of body, and ventral surface of trunk rings with dark bars;10 caudal rays; rings 14 + 31 - 36; discontinuous superior trunk and tail ridges; inferior trunk ridge ends at anal ring; lateral trunk ridge confluent with inferior tail ridge; continuous median dorsal snout ridge, elevated and arched, margin usually denticulate; head and body with unbranched filaments; each side of dorsum with palmate skin flaps; length of snout 3.0-4.4 in head length; depth of snout 1.8-3.1 in snout length; head length 9.6-14.7 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Collected from sand, rubble, or reef habitats to a depth of at least 14 m. Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205). The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail (Ref. 205). Also found in coastal algal-rubble slopes in 5-25 m (Ref 90102).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 25 November 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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