Rock pipefish
Phoxocampus belcheri
- Usual depth0–11 m
- Water temperature22–30 °C
- Best monthsJanuary, April, and October
- How commonRare
About this species
Phoxocampus belcheri, also known as the rock pipefish, is a species of marine fish belonging to the family Syngnathidae. The species can be found in shallow reefs and tide pools throughout much of the Indo-Pacific ranging from the eastern coast of Africa and the Red Sea to Tonga and Japan. Its diet likely consists of small crustaceans such as copepods. Reproduction occurs through ovoviviparity in which the males brood eggs before giving live birth.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Phoxocampus belcheri”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 10 records
- February: 4 records
- March: 5 records
- April: 12 records
- May: 4 records
- June: 1 records
- July: 4 records
- August: 4 records
- September: 9 records
- October: 10 records
- November: 10 records
- December: 2 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 0–11 m · Deepest record: 19 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 22–30 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Rock pipefish, Black rock pipefish, rock pipefish
Names in 2 more languages
- Japanese
- Boyoji, ボウヨウジ
- Simplified Chinese
- 海龍, 貝氏魚海龍, 贝氏鱼海龙, 黑海龍, 黑海龙, 黑錐海龍, 黑锥海龙
Other scientific names: Ichthyocampus belcheri, Ichthyocampus nox
Similar species
- Kampen’s pipefish
Phoxocampus tetrophthalmus
Banded PipefishCorythoichthys flavofasciatus
Bloodspot PipefishCorythoichthys haematopterus
Banded pipefishCorythoichthys intestinalis
Bluestripe pipefishDoryrhamphus excisus
Banded PipefishDunckerocampus dactyliophorus
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 110 open-data records from 1856 to 2023.
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