General Description

Body very long, slender; snout short, upper surface usually flat to slightly convex, snout ridge low; pectoral and tail fins small. Colour highly variable - mottled light brown with darker squarish blotches on lower half of trunk rings, or, with diffuse whitish patches above; orange below with a series of orange-brown blotches along sides; individuals sometimes plain with a series of dark bars on top, or overall mottled and variegated. To 19 cm.

Biology

Juveniles often live amongst decaying seagrass leaves.

Habitat

Shallow seagrass, eelgrass and macroagal habitats in sheltered bays and estuaries, in depths of 1-11m.

Reefs

Seagrass meadows

Distribution guide

Southern Australia, including western and central Victoria.

Species Group

Fishes › Seahorses, pipefish and allies

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

19 cm

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Identify

• Fishes - Pipefishes and Seahorses

Conservation Status

• DSE Advisory List : Not listed
• EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
• IUCN Red List : Not listed
• Fisheries Act 1995 : Protected Aquatic Biota