Festucalex erythraeus

Red pipefish
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Syngnathiformes
Family: Syngnathidae
Genus: Festucalex
Species:
F. erythraeus
Binomial name
Festucalex erythraeus
Gilbert, 1905
Synonyms[1]
  • Hippichthys amakusensis Tomiyama, 1972
  • Ichthyocampus erythraeus Gilbert, 1905
  • Ichthyocampus philippinus Fowler, 1938
  • Ichthyocampus townsendi Duncker, 1915

Festucalex erythraeus, known commonly as the red pipefish,[2][3] is a species of marine pipefish of the family Syngnathidae. It is found throughout the Indo-Pacific, from Mozambique and South Africa to Hawaii, Honshu (Japan), and New Caledonia.[1] It lives among rubble and coral or rocky reefs at depths of 18–40 metres (59–131 ft), where they can grow to lengths of 10 centimetres (3.9 in).[4] They are expected to feed on small crustaceans, such as gammarid shrimps, mysids, and harpacticoid copepods.[1] This species is ovoviviparous, with males brooding eggs and giving birth to live young. Males may brood at lengths of around 5.5 centimetres (2.2 in).[4] It is exported from Hawaii as part of the aquarium trade.[5]

Festucalex amakusensis and Festucalex townsendi which some authorities consider to be synonyms of F. erythraeus are considered by other authorities to be valid species.[5]

  1. ^ a b c d Manning, C. & Pollom, R. (2017). "Festucalex erythraeus". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T65367204A67624718. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T65367204A67624718.en.
  2. ^ "Common name of Festucalex erythraeus". FishBase. Archived from the original on 15 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Common name of Festucalex erythraeus". FishBase. Archived from the original on 15 March 2023.
  4. ^ a b Dawson, C.E. (1985). Indo-Pacific pipefishes (Red Sea to the Americas). The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory Ocean Springs, Mississippi, USA.
  5. ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Festucalex erythraeus". FishBase. February 2018 version.