Rhino Pipefish, Histiogamphelus cristatus (Macleay, 1882)
Scientific name: Histiogamphelus cristatus
Alternative name/s:
Cocks-comb Pipefish, Macleay's Crested Pipefish, Spotted Crested Pipefish
Cocks-comb Pipefish, Macleay's Crested Pipefish, Spotted Crested Pipefish
Click to enlarge image
A Rhino Pipefish, Histiogamphelus cristatus, at Normanville Beach, South Australia, February 2009.
Image: David Muirhead
© David Muirhead
© David Muirhead
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Histiogamphelus
- Species
- cristatus
- Family
- Syngnathidae
- Order
- Syngnathiformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- 27 cm SL
Introduction
The Rhino Pipefish, with its slender mottled body and truncate head, looks similar to a piece of seagrass.
Identification
The species is mottled brown in colour. Females have blueish blotches on the sides of the body.
Juveniles have a rhino-like hump on the snout, hence the standard name.
Habitat
Usually seen in seagrass areas.
Distribution
The species endemic to Australia, occurring from eastern South Australia to south-western, Western Australia.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia
References
- Gomon, M.F., Bray, D. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 2008. The Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Reed New Holland. Pp. 928.
- Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
