General Description

Body and snout very long, slender; tail almost prehensile; tail fin absent. Usually greenish-brown, but variable in colour, often with evenly scattered dark or pale spots. Closely resembles the Widebody Pipefish Stigmatopora nigra, differing in colouration, the placement of the dorsal fin, and female body shape. To 25 cm.

Biology

Individuals are extremely well-camouflaged amongst Zostera seagrass. Although the tail is not prehensile, individuals may curl it loosely around seagrasses and algae. Numbers of trunk rings, dorsal-fin rays and other features are geographically variable; fishes in Tasmania and Western Australia have higher counts and reach a greater length than elsewhere.

Distribution

Southern Australia.

Habitat

Shallow seagrass and macroalgal beds in sheltered bays and estuaries, in depths of 0-10 m.

More Information