Doryrhamphus Explained

Doryrhamphus is a genus of pipefishes, one of the two genera colloquially known as flagtail pipefishes and are popular in the aquarium trade. The members of this genus are native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans where they inhabit reef environments. The species in this genus have a maximum length of 14cm (06inches) or less, with D. janssi being the only species that surpasses 8.5cm (03.3inches). Most species have a horizontal blue line along their body, and all have a whitish-edged tail that is marked contrastingly with black, red or yellow.^[1]

Species

There are currently six recognized species in this genus:

• Doryrhamphus aurolineatus J. E. Randall & Earle, 1994
• Doryrhamphus bicarinatus C. E. Dawson, 1981 (Narrowstripe pipefish)

• Doryrhamphus excisus Kaup, 1856
  • Doryrhamphus excisus abbreviatus C. E. Dawson, 1981
  • Doryrhamphus excisus excisus Kaup, 1856 (Bluestripe pipefish)
• Doryrhamphus janssi (Herald & J. E. Randall, 1972) (Janss' pipefish)
• Doryrhamphus japonicus Araga & Yoshino, 1975
• Doryrhamphus negrosensis Herre, 1934
  • Doryrhamphus negrosensis malus (Whitley, 1954) (Masthead Island pipefish)
  • Doryrhamphus negrosensis negrosensis Herre, 1934 (Negros pipefish)

External links

• Ichthyological Bulletin; No. 44: Review of the Indo-Pacific pipefish genus Doryrhamphus Kaup (Pisces: Syngnathidae) with descriptions of a new species and a new subspecies

Notes and References

1. Fritzsche, R.A. 1980. A revisionary study of the eastern Pacific Syngnathidae (Pisces: Syngnathiformes), including both recent and fossil forms. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 42(6): 181-227.