Bluespeckled Pipefish

The blue-spotted pipefish is a small-sized fish that can reach a maximum length of 16 cm. Its head is in the continuity of the body. The snout is tapered and have a medium length. The body has a somewhat angular appearance due to the presence of four discontinuous longitudinal ridges distributed over the dorsal and ventral side. The caudal fin is small and narrow. The body coloration may range from yellow to light brown through almost black. The color can be plain, spotted or mottled with white, yellow or light blue. The dorsal fin is usually whitish with 3-4 small brownish spots on each of its 20-28 rays.

The blue-spotted pipefish is widespread throughout the tropical, subtropical and temperate waters of the Indo-Pacific from the eastern coast of Africa, Red Sea included, to Fidji and Philippines and from south Japan to north coast of Australia). The blue-spotted pipefish likes the shallow waters of estuaries from small coastal rivers and mangrove area.