Summary
The ornate ghost pipefish or harlequin ghost pipefish, Solenostomus paradoxus, is a false pipefish of the family Solenostomidae. The species' name comes from the Greek paradoxos, referring to this fish's unusual external features. Ornate ghost pipefish are found in the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean along reef edges prone to strong currents from the Red Sea to Tonga.[2] They reach a maximum length of 12 cm. They vary in color from red or yellow to black and are almost transparent. Although relatively common, ornate ghost pipefish are very well-camouflaged and difficult to find.[3] It occurs either as solitary individuals or in pairs, among the branches of gorgonians, in floating weeds, or crinoids where the feed on mysids and small benthic shrimp.[2]
| Solenostomus paradoxus | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Syngnathiformes |
| Family: | Solenostomidae |
| Genus: | Solenostomus |
| Species: | S. paradoxus
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| Binomial name | |
| Solenostomus paradoxus (Pallas, 1770)
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| Synonyms | |
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The IUCN conservation status of Solenostomus paradoxus has been evaluated as "Least Concern".[1]
Gallery edit
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Its ghostly appearance at Lembeh Strait Sulawesi, 2007 -
Different color variation, 2005 -
A pair observed in North Sulawesi, Indonesia -
at Lembeh Strait Sulawesi, 2008 -
Pink S. Paradoxus at Lembeh Strait Sulawesi, 2014 -
Yellow-red S. Paradoxus at Lembeh Strait Sulawesi, 2008 -
Brown pattern S. Paradoxus at Lembeh Strait Sulawesi, 2009 -
Green S. Paradoxus, 2008
References edit
- ^ a b Dick, K. & Pollom, R. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Solenostomus paradoxus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T65363417A115409075. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T65363417A67621198.en.
- ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2018). "Solenostomus paradoxus" in FishBase. February 2018 version.
- ^ Dianne J Bray & Vanessa J Thompson, 2011, Ornate Ghostpipefish, Solenostomus paradoxus, in Fishes of Australia, accessed 07 Oct 2014, http://www.fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/3165
External links edit
- Photos of Solenostomus paradoxus on Sealife Collection