Choeroichthys sculptus
Choeroichthys sculptus, the sculptured pipefish, is a species of marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. Description. "Choeroichthys sculptus" is a small secretive species with a short snout, and with body and tail sections which are approximately equal in length. "C. sculptus" is dark brown in colour with 2-3 rows of black-margined white spots along its sides with larger white spots along its back and dark spots situated on the lower part of and on either side of the head. The trunk and tail rings show notches between the rings with conspicuous scutella each of which has  a projecting ridge or keel. They can grow to lengths of . Distribution. "Choeroichthys sculptus" is widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific from the South China Sea, southern Japan, the Northern Mariana Islands, to Samoa. In Australia it is known only from northern Western Australia and the Great Barrier Reef Habitat and biology. "Choeroichthys sculptus" is thought to feed mainly on small crustaceans. They are solitary, the sexes are separate and males brood the eggs in an enclosed brood pouch on underside of his body, i.e. this species is ovoviviparous, eventually the eggs hatch and the male gives birth to live  young. The female usually lays the eggs in a single layer of two parallel rows within the brood pouch. The males may be brooding at in length. The larvae are undescribed. It inhabits coral reef flats, mangroves, and seagrass beds. Naming. The generic name ""Choeroichthys"" is derived from the Greek meaning "pig" and meaning "fish", the specific name "sculptus" means "to carve" in Latin and refers to the conspicuous keeled scutella.