Festucalex prolixus, a New Species of Pipefish (Syngnathidae) from the Western Indo-Pacific Region

Abstract

Differing from other known pipefishes with caudal fin and continuous superior and inferior body ridges by the combination of 19-20 trunk rings and lateral trunk ridge ending on the 10th-13th tail ring, this new species is provisionally referred to the genus Festucalex Whitley 1931, pending collection of adults.The planktonic type material was taken in the upper 0-167 m over depths of 1, 280-4, 825 m in the Sulu and Celebes seas and off northwestern Irian Jaya.Subadults-adults are expected to occur in depths>40m.