Sun Mushroom-Coral Pipefish

Sun-Mushroom-Coral Pipefish: Siokunichthys nigrolineatus

This pipefish and his family group live amongst the tentacles of a solitary coral, Heliofungia actiniformis, known as the Sun Mushroom Coral. His jaw makes him look serious; when his mouth is open he looks terrifying. The red lightning bolt across the eye adds to the effect. He lives with a few other members of his species, Siokunichthys nigrolineatus, in this coral. They had a range of sizes--perhaps they are a family group. All pipefish are quick and good at evading a camera, but these seemed particularly so. They like to wind their way between the tentacles of the coral. Presumably they live off material that the anemone filters from the water, but doesn't eat. They're said to prefer corals of the genus Fungia, the mushroom corals, and so are known as mushroom-coral pipefish. (The name "mushroom" refers to the shapes of these corals).

Pipefish look like sea horses that have been unwound and stretched out a bit. Together with sea horses and sea dragons they make up the family Syngnathidae. The name means "together-jaw" in Ancient Greek, and refers to the fused jaw they all have. Perhaps that explains the grim expression.

The sun-mushroom-coral itself lives primarily off tiny photosynthetic organisms contained in its tissues. Maybe that is why they carry the name "sun". This coral was near several neighbors that hosted their own families of pipefish, in relatively shallow water, 10 to 20 feet, where they all could get plenty of sunlight.