Find a Fish
Ghostpipefishes
Solenostomus spp
A 50mm long Orange Hairy Ghostpipefish collected on the Outer Barrier Reef Fish Survey (FNQ) at 30m on a vertical coral wall at Ashmore Reef, Coral Sea, Jan 1993.
An Ornate Ghostpipefish at a depth of 21m, North Solitary Island, New South Wales, January 2001.
A 90mm long Robust Ghostpipefish collected during Australian Museum fieldwork at a depth of 6m between South Head and Lady Jane Beach, Sydney Harbour, March 1998 (AMS I.38734-001).
Ghostpipefishes are different to seahorses in several ways. A ghostpipefish's head is held at an angle to the body, but the angle is less than that in seahorses.
Ghostpipefishes have two dorsal fins whereas a seahorse only has one. In addition, ghostpipefishes do not have a pouch to rear the young, instead a female ghostpipefish (rather than the male seahorse) looks after the eggs in a pouch formed by her modified ventral fins. These fins are greatly expanded and united with the abdomen along the upper margin and together below to form a brood pouch.
View the fact sheets for the Orange Hairy Ghostpipefish, Ornate Ghostpipefish and Robust Ghostpipefish.
Further reading
- Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-Eastern Australia. Crawford House Press. Pp. 437.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Seahorses, Pipefishes and their relatives. A Comprehensive Guide to Syngnathiformes. TMC. Pp. 240.
- Orr, J.W & T.W. Pietsch. in Paxton, J.R. & W.N. Eschmeyer (Eds). 1994. Encyclopedia of Fishes. Sydney: New South Wales University Press; San Diego: Academic Press [1995]. Pp. 240.
- Orr, J.W. & R.A. Fritzsche. 1993. Revision of the Ghost Pipefishes, Family Solenostomidae (Teleostei: Syngnathoidei). Copeia. 1: 168-182.
