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Davao pughead pipefish (Bulbonaricus davaoensis) — Syngnathidae

Davao pughead pipefish

Bulbonaricus davaoensis
Family: Syngnathidae
NE · Not Evaluated

The Davao pughead pipefish (Bulbonaricus davaoensis) is a saltwater fish of the family Syngnathidae that grows up to 4 cm.

Length
4.3 cm
Water
Saltwater
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The Davao pughead pipefish is a very small, remarkable pipefish from the Indo-West Pacific. The species reaches only about 4 cm and has a slender, worm-like body with a short, bulbous 'pughead' and an extremely short snout. Remarkably, it lives hidden among the branches of living stony corals, where it is barely visible. With its small mouth it sucks up minute crustaceans. 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 Davao pughead pipefish?

The Davao pughead pipefish has a snake-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Davao pughead pipefish live?

The Davao pughead pipefish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Davao pughead pipefish get?

The Davao pughead pipefish grows to a maximum of about 4 cm.

Is the Davao pughead pipefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Davao pughead pipefish is harmless to humans.

Is the Davao pughead pipefish edible?

The Davao pughead pipefish is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Davao-bultkop-zeenaald verified
English name
Davao pughead pipefish verified
Scientific name
Bulbonaricus davaoensis
Family
Syngnathidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
4.3 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal 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
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Geen doelsoort voor de hengelsport; hooguit incidentele vangst of bruikbaar als aasvisje. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

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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