Solenostomus paradoxus Ornate Ghost Pipefish
Class: Actinopterygii Order: Syngnathiformes Family: Solenostomidae Size: to 11 cm.
Short skin filaments on snout and body and fins with jagged edges given "spiky appearance". Solitary, small groups or more commonly in male & female pairs. Usually they remain in restricted home range.
Indonesia, Philippines, Micronesia, Solomon Island, Australia and Fiji.
Although relatively common, ornate ghost pipefish are very well-camouflaged and difficult to find.
Ornate Ghost Pipefish Female variation. Frequently hover head down among arms of crinoid, black corals, gorgonians and soft corals.
Juvenile Ornate Ghost Pipefish.
Female variation. Highly variable colors dependent on habitat.
Solenostomus halimeda Halimeda Ghost Pipefish
Class: Actinopterygii Order: Syngnathiformes Family: Solenostomidae Size: to 7 cm.
Green to whitish gray, fin lobes rounded resembling the leaf-like segments of Halimeda algae where they shelter. Solenostomus halimeda can reach a length of 6.5 cm and is the smallest of the ghost pipefishes. They feed on tiny crustaceans, sucked inside through their long snouts. Usually solitary or in pairs.
Indo-West Pacific. Maldives, Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.
Solenostomus sp. Velvet Ghost Pipefish
Class: Actinopterygii Order: Syngnathiformes. Family: Solenostomidae Size: to 5 cm.
This one is a rare find and has not even been classified properly yet. Their body color, texture and shape mimics sponges, and they are usually brightly colored, from pink to red to purple. They live most commonly around sponge corals that they use to hide. Scientists know very little about this species and have yet to describe it.
Photograph taken in Indonesia
Solenostomus cyanopterus Robust Ghost Pipefish
Class: Actinopterygii Order: Syngnathiformes Family: Solenostomidae Size: to 17 cm.
Robust ghost pipefish are the largest in the family and can reach up to 17 cm. They look quite similar to seagrass, which makes them difficult to spot. They usually float around with seagrass and also rock back and forth with water movement, just like seagrass. Colors vary from brown to green to yellow.
Indo-West Pacific, Read Sea, Australia, Indonesia, Japan and E. Africa.