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Syngnathiformes (Pipefishes and seahorses) >
Syngnathidae (Pipefishes and seahorses) > Syngnathinae
Etymology: Festucalex: Latin, festuca = stalk, straw coloured (Ref. 45335); rufus: Name from Latin 'rufus' meaning red or reddish; referring to its distinctive colouration.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 10 - 25 m (Ref. 116662). Tropical
Western Pacific: Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and the Solomon Is.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.6 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 116662); 3.8 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 18 - 19; Anal soft rays: 4. This species is distinguished by the following characters: pectoral fin-rays 10-11; dorsal-fin rays 18-19; body rings 15-16 + 13 or total 46-47; snout length 2.8-3.2 in HL; lateral trunk ridge ending on penultimate trunk ring; absence of spine-like projections on principle tail ridges; when alive, colour generally pinkish red (Ref. 116662).
Occurs in exposed coral reef slopes and generally encountered solitarily or in pairs at depths of about 10-25 m. It exhibits highly effective camouflage with regards to its shape and colour, closely matching an unidentified, short tubular sponge among which this fish is invariably found (Ref. 116662).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Allen, G.R. and M.V. Erdman, 2015. Festucalex rufus, a new species of pipefish (Syngnathidae) from Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. aqua, Int. J. Ichthyol. 21(1):47-51. (Ref. 116662)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5039 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.1 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).