Robust Ghost Pipefish

Photo: chinotto_chena · CC BY-NC

Robust ghost pipefish are masters of camouflage, hovering head-down among crinoid arms and sea-grass blades where their body shape and coloration make them almost indistinguishable from the surrounding vegetation. Unlike true pipefish, the female carries the eggs in a brood pouch formed by her fused pelvic fins, making mated pairs a particularly rewarding find at Kapalai. The species is a permanent resident of the slope's crinoid-rich middle depths rather than a seasonal visitor.