Samoan pipefish (Halicampus mataafae)

Scientific name: Halicampus mataafae Jordan & Seale, 1906

The Samoan pipefish (Halicampus mataafae) is a marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. Native range: Indo-Pacific, Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa, north to Taiwan, south to Queensland, Australia.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 21-26; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 3. Brownish in color, sometimes with irregular diffuse pale bars on dorsum.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Halicampus mataafae
Family: Syngnathidae (Pipefishes and seahorses)
Order: Syngnathiformes (Pipefishes and Seahorses)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 14.0
Depth range: 15 m (49 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; depth range ? - 15 m
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa, north to Taiwan, south to Queensland, Australia.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026