Ornate Ghost Pipefish

Photo: Mark Rosenstein · CC BY-NC

Ornate ghost pipefish hover head-down among crinoid arms and sea fans in Looc Bay, their elaborate filamentous skin making them almost invisible against their host organism. Females carry the brood pouch and are typically larger than their male partners, with pairs often found in close proximity year after year on the same crinoid. Peak sightings coincide with the cooler dry season months when visibility is highest.