Fact File of the Ornate Ghost Pipefish

Scientific Name: Solenostomus paradoxus

Habitat: Associated with soft corals, gorgonians, floating weeds, crinoids

Relatives: seahorses, seadragons, pipefishes

Top sites: La Casa, Tasi Tolu, Dili Rock

A master of disguise

An intricate web of colours and feathery projections, ornate ghost pipefish come in a dazzling variety of hues, from bright yellows and reds to dull browns and blacks.

They are experts in mimicry, lending seamlessly with the soft corals, gorgonians and crinoids they call home. Their ability to vanish into their surroundings is so effective, you may wonder: did you even see it?

Life history and behaviour

Photo: Marianne Woodward

The ornate ghost pipefish females are typically larger than males and carry their fertilised eggs in pelvic fins modified to form a brood pouch. Once mature, the eggs are released into the plankton, where the larvae drift before settling back onto the reef after a few months.

Often found solitary or in pairs (especially during mating season), these fish usually swim head-down, their ornate projections perfectly mimicking the fronds of their habitat. They primarily feed on small crustaceans and have a short (but spectacular) lifespan of only a few months

Highlights

Ghost pipefish Black

Like their cousins the seahorse, Ornate Ghost Pipefish are poor swimmers and rely heavily on their exceptional camouflage for survival. Whilst listed as ‘least concern’ on the ICUN conservation status scale, they are vulnerable to habitat caused by climate change and anthropogenic stressors.

Timor-Leste’s reefs are some of the most pristine reefs in the world, making them a perfect place to spot these unique creatures. Local sites in Tasi Tolu bay have yielded sightings, they have also been found on coastal sites such as Behau Village but they are harder to spot with so much coral.

Grab your camera and let’s go an ‘ornate hunt’!

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Blog by Fanchon Wright