Ornate Ghost Pipefish
Solenostomus paradoxus
Sighting evidence at South Reef, Pigeon Island
Photo: terence zahner · CC BY-NC
Ornate ghost pipefish appear among feather stars and soft corals at South Reef from May onward, their extraordinary camouflage rendering them nearly invisible against crinoid fronds until a trained eye picks out their outline. They are not true pipefish but a separate family, and females brood eggs in a ventral pouch formed by fused pelvic fins. Finding a mated pair hovering in perfect mimicry of their host feather star is one of the signature macro encounters of Indo-Pacific reef diving.
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.