Festucalex erythraeus

For other species known commonly as red pipefish, see Red pipefish (disambiguation).

Festucalex erythraeus, known commonly as the red pipefish,^[2][3] is a species of marine pipefish of the family Syngnathidae. It is found throughout the Indo-Pacific, from Mozambique and South Africa to Hawaii, Honshu (Japan), and New Caledonia.^[1] It lives among rubble and coral or rocky reefs at depths of 18–40 metres (59–131 ft), where they can grow to lengths of 10 centimetres (3.9 in).^[4] They are expected to feed on small crustaceans, such as gammarid shrimps, mysids, and harpacticoid copepods.^[1] This species is ovoviviparous, with males brooding eggs and giving birth to live young. Males may brood at lengths of around 5.5 centimetres (2.2 in).^[4] It is exported from Hawaii as part of the aquarium trade.^[5]

Red pipefish
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Syngnathiformes
Family:	Syngnathidae
Genus:	Festucalex
Species:	F. erythraeus
Binomial name
Festucalex erythraeus Gilbert, 1905
Synonyms[1]
Hippichthys amakusensis Tomiyama, 1972 Ichthyocampus erythraeus Gilbert, 1905 Ichthyocampus philippinus Fowler, 1938 Ichthyocampus townsendi Duncker, 1915

Festucalex amakusensis and Festucalex townsendi which some authorities consider to be synonyms of F. erythraeus are considered by other authorities to be valid species.^[5]