Rough-snout Ghostpipefish

Solenostomus paegnius

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Syngnathiformes
Family: Solenostomidae
Genus: Solenostomus
Species: Solenostomus paegnius

The rough-snout ghostpipefish (Solenostomus paegnius) is a ghostpipefish with a rough, filament-covered snout and body, coloured brown, green or red to match the algae and debris around it.

It grows to about 15 cm and hovers head-down near algae, seagrass and sand, feeding on tiny crustaceans. The female carries the eggs in a pouch formed by her pelvic fins.

The rough-snout ghostpipefish is found in the Indo-West Pacific, including the Philippines, where it is a muck-diving find on sandy slopes. It is similar to the robust ghostpipefish but has a hairier snout.