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Booth's pipefish (Halicampus boothae) — Syngnathidae

Booth's pipefish

Halicampus boothae
Family: Syngnathidae
NE · Not Evaluated

The Booth's pipefish (Halicampus boothae) is a saltwater fish of the family Syngnathidae that grows up to 18 cm.

Length
17.5 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
3.0–30.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Indo-West Pacific
Edibility
Not eaten

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Description

Booth's pipefish is a small pipefish from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 18 cm and has a slender, bony-ringed body with a few skin appendages and a short, tubular snout with which it sucks up small food. As a bottom-dweller it shelters among sand, rubble and weed on shallow reef, where its shape lets it blend in with the surroundings. As in pipefishes, the male carries the eggs. The fish is harmless to humans. The IUCN has not evaluated the species.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Booth's pipefish?

The Booth's pipefish has a snake-like body, is mainly brown and shows a marbled pattern. Armoured body with skin appendages; camouflaged pipefish, the male carries the eggs

Where does the Booth's pipefish live?

The Booth's pipefish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Indo-West Pacific

How big does the Booth's pipefish get?

The Booth's pipefish grows to a maximum of about 18 cm.

Is the Booth's pipefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Booth's pipefish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Booth's pipefish edible?

The Booth's pipefish is not usually eaten.

More photos

Booth's pipefish (Halicampus boothae) — Syngnathidae — 2
Elaine Tan (CC BY 4.0) via GBIF — AM
Booth's pipefish (Halicampus boothae) — Syngnathidae — 3
Wikimedia Commons — Izuzuki (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Booth's pipefish (Halicampus boothae) — Syngnathidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) coenobita, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Booth's pipefish (Halicampus boothae) — Syngnathidae — 5
Wikimedia Commons — Izuzuki (CC BY 2.5)
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All data

Identification

English name
Booth's pipefish verified
Scientific name
Halicampus boothae
Family
Syngnathidae
Other names
Booth's pipefish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
17.5 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Marbled sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Beak-shaped sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
3.0 verified
Max depth (m)
30.0 verified
Natural range
Indo-West Pacific verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Minute crustaceans inferred
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Camouflaged reef pipefish; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Armoured body with skin appendages; camouflaged pipefish, the male carries the eggs sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Halicampus

More from the family Syngnathidae

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