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Bruce's coral pipefish (Bulbonaricus brucei) — Syngnathidae

Bruce's coral pipefish

Bulbonaricus brucei
Family: Syngnathidae

The Bruce's coral pipefish (Bulbonaricus brucei) is a saltwater fish of the family Syngnathidae that grows up to 5 cm.

Length
4.5 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–? m
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless

Description

Bruce's coral pipefish is a small pipefish (Syngnathidae) from reef water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 6 cm and has a thin, worm-like, brown-green body with a short snout and very small fins. Characteristically it lives hidden among the branches of living stony coral, especially Galaxea, where it shelters almost invisibly among the polyps and sucks up small zooplankton. The male carries the eggs. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bruce's coral pipefish?

The Bruce's coral pipefish has a snake-like body and is mainly green.

Where does the Bruce's coral pipefish live?

The Bruce's coral pipefish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Bruce's coral pipefish get?

The Bruce's coral pipefish grows to a maximum of about 5 cm.

Is the Bruce's coral pipefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Bruce's coral pipefish is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Bruces koraal-zeenaald sourced
English name
Bruce's coral pipefish sourced
Scientific name
Bulbonaricus brucei
Family
Syngnathidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
4.5 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Green sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Bulbonaricus

More from the family Syngnathidae

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