PORT PHILLIP BAY


Upside-down Pipefish 

Heraldia nocturna Paxton, 1975

View scientific description and taxonomy

General Description

Body long, slender; tail large, spikey; dorsal fin mostly on trunk, body behind dorsal fin much shorter than that before dorsal fin; posterior angles of body rings slightly raised and produced into spine-like points. Mostly brown or irregularly blotched with tan or white markings; anterior part of dorsal fin brown. To 10 cm.

Biology

These nocturnal pipefish usually live in pairs and swim upside-down close to the ceilings of caves, crevices and under ledges. They venture out into the open at night.

Habitat

Sheltered inshore rocky reefs in harbours, bays and inlets, in depths of 2-30 m.

Reefs

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes Seahorses, pipefish and allies

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

10 cm

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Bray, D.J.

Di Bray is a Senior Collection Manager of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Gomon, M.F.

Dr. Martin Gomon is a Senior Curator of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. & Gomon, M.F., 2011, Upside-down Pipefish, Heraldia nocturna, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 09 Jul 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/7703

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