New Ghost Pipefish Species Discovered Near Australia

A new species of ghost pipefish has been formally described in shallow seas near Australia. The fish, named Solenostomus snuffleupagus, displays dense filaments and a long trunk that give it a shaggy appearance.

Short of the Australian Museum Research

Institute and marine biologist David Harasti collected specimens after initial sightings in Papua New Guinea and later near the Great Barrier Reef. The pair gathered a male and female in 2022 and deposited them at the Australian Museum for study. The species was formally named in a paper published May 10 in the Journal of Fish Biology.

Researchers noted that the fish moves by drifting like floating algal debris and possesses an extra vertebra compared with other ghost pipefishes.

Ghost pipefishes are camouflaged relatives of seahorses that mimic coral, algae, and seagrass. The newly described species ranges from Australia and Papua New Guinea eastward to Tonga. Genetic analysis indicates the species diverged from other ghost pipefishes approximately 18 million years ago.

Short and Harasti stated that the fish's hairy appearance and trunk reminded them of the Sesame Street character Mr. Snuffleupagus. The researchers added that even well-studied reefs such as the Great Barrier Reef can still contain undescribed species.

Their next project involves describing another ghost pipefish that mimics sponges.