Ornate ghost pipefish
Solenostomus paradoxus
Sighting evidence at Meno Wall, Gili Islands
Photo: terence zahner · CC BY-NC
Ornate ghost pipefish hang motionless among the feather stars and crinoids along the wall, their leaf-like appendages matching the texture of their host organism so precisely that they are invisible until they move. Unlike true pipefish, the female — larger than the male — broods the eggs in a pouch formed by her fused pelvic fins. Finding a mated pair requires slow, methodical searching of each crinoid clump.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Ornate ghost pipefish is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.