Messmate pipefish

The messmate pipefish (Corythoichthys haematopterus) is a species of marine fish in the family Syngnathidae. It is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region, from the eastern coast of Africa to the Vanuatu Islands. This species can reach a length of 19.8 cm.^[2] It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade where it is known as the dragonfaced pipefish.^[3] Other common names are bloodspot pipefish, reef pipefish, reeftop pipefish and yellow-streaked pipefish.^[1]

Messmate pipefish
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Syngnathiformes
Family:	Syngnathidae
Genus:	Corythoichthys
Species:	C. haematopterus
Binomial name
Corythoichthys haematopterus (Bleeker, 1851)
Synonyms[2]
Corythroichthys elerae Evermann & Seale, 1907 Corythroichthys isigakius Jordan & Snyder, 1901 Ichthyocampus papuensis Sauvage, 1880 Syngnathus crenulatus Weber, 1913 Syngnathus haematopterus Bleeker, 1851

The messmate pipefish exhibits biofluorescence, that is, when illuminated by blue or ultraviolet light, it re-emits it as yellow, and appears differently than under white light illumination. Biofluorescence may assist in intraspecific communication and camouflage.^[4]