Research Article

First Record of Bellybarred Pipefish, Hippichthys spicifer (Rüppell, 1838), (Syngnathiformes: Syngnathidae) from Balochistan Coast, Northern Arabian Sea

Asadullah Ali Muhammad1* and Ateeqa Baloch2

1Fisheries and Coastal Development Department, Government of Balochistan, Pakistan; 2The Marine Reference Collection and Resource Centre, University of Karachi, Pakistan.

Received | March 23, 2025; Accepted | April 23, 2025; Published | June 02, 2025

*Correspondence | Asadullah Ali Muhammad, Fisheries and Coastal Development Department, Government of Balochistan, Pakistan; Email: [email protected]

Citation | Muhammad, A.A. and A. Baloch. 2025. First record of bellybarred pipefish, Hippichthys spicifer (Rüppell, 1838), (Syngnathiformes: Syngnathidae) from Balochistan coast, Northern Arabian Sea. Sarhad Journal of Agriculture, 41(2): 835-841.

DOI | https://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.sja/2025/41.2.835.841

Keywords | Pipefish, Syngnathidae, Hippichthys, New record, Taxonomy, Balochistan coast

Copyright: 2025 by the authors. Licensee ResearchersLinks Ltd, England, UK.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Introduction

The family Syngnathidae, encompassing seahorses, pipefishes, pipehorses, and seadragons, represents a distinctive group within the marine ecosystem, notable for its unique morphological and behavioral adaptations. Members of Syngnathidae exhibit a suite of specialized traits that set them apart from other bony fishes, including fused jaws, bony encasement of the body, and a unique gill chamber structure with pore-like openings. Furthermore, they lack both teeth and pelvic fins, contributing to their distinctiveness (Smith and Heemstra, 1987). Their slender, elongate bodies and armored rings offer camouflage and protection in these environments, while their diet primarily consists of small crustaceans such as copepods and amphipods (Ryer and Orth, 1987; Franzoi et al., 1993). The members of Syngnathids are not only fascinating due to their unusual anatomy but also because of their specialized reproductive strategies. They exhibit one of the most unique forms of parental care in the animal kingdom, with the female depositing eggs into a specialized incubation area “marsupium” on the male, either on the abdomen or tail (Herald, 1959; Kuiter, 2009). This reproductive adaptation enhances their survival and success in various aquatic environments.

Ecologically, Syngnathids are widely distributed in temperate and tropical waters of Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean and occupy a wide range of habitats, from shallow tidal pools to deeper marine environments, with some species extending into brackish and freshwater systems (Nelson et al., 2016; Fricke et al., 2024). They are typically found in association with seagrass beds, coral reefs, and mangrove areas, which provide crucial microhabitats for their survival (Curtis and Vincent, 2006; Caldwell and Vincent, 2013; Qin et al., 2018).

The syngnathids have economic and cultural significance as these fishes are extensively traded in dried form for use in Traditional Chinese Medicine, where they are believed to treat various ailments ranging from asthma to impotence, popular in the marine aquarium trade and are often embedded in plastics for use as curios (Vincent et al., 2011). This high demand has led to overfishing and significant conservation concerns, as highlighted by their status on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and under international trade regulations such as CITES (2002). Among involved countries in traditional medicine Malaysia, in particular, plays a key role in the international trade of syngnathids, facing ongoing challenges to manage and conserve these unique fishes amidst growing pressure from commercial exploitation (Martin-Smith et al., 2003; Martin-Smith and Vincent, 2006; Perry et al., 2010).

This family is comprised of approximately 331 valid species distributed across 59 genera (Fricke et al., 2024). The genus Hippichthys, reviewed extensively by Dawson (1978, 1985), provides an illustrative example of the diversity within Syngnathidae with distinctive morphological features such as the number of trunk rings and dorsal fin rays. This genus, endemic to the Indo-Pacific region, including five valid species as follows: H. spicifer (Ruppell, 1838); H. heptagonus (Bleeker 1849); H. cyanospilus (Bleeker, 1854); H. penicillus (Cantor 1849); H. parvicarinatus (Dawson, 1978).

Currently four genera and six species of pipefishes are reported from Pakistan including: Trachyrhamphus serratus (Temminck and Schlegel, 1850); Trachyrhamphus longirostris (Kaup, 1856); Ichthyocampus carce (Hamilton, 1822); Microphis cuncalus (Hamilton, 1822); Bryx analicarens (Duncker, 1915) and Syngnathoides biaculeatus (Bloch 1785) (Qureshi, 1969; Jalil and Khaliluddin, 1981; Kazmi et al., 2022). The genus Hippichthys has not been previously documented in Pakistan. This study presents the first confirmed record of Hippichthys spicifer from Kataow Beach, Pasni. The discovery expands the known geographical distribution of the species, highlighting the biodiversity of the region and contributing valuable data to the ichthyofauna of Pakistan.

Materials and Methods

A single live specimen of the Bellybarred Pipefish, Hippichthys spicifer was collected from Kataow Beach (25º16’34’’N, 63º28’32’’E), Pasni, Balochistan coast (Figure 1) on 08 November 2024. This is an estuarine environment characterized by a mixed substrate of sandy and muddy areas with patches of mangroves. Morphometric characters and meristic details were recorded following the standard protocol by Lourie et al. (1999) and photographed using a stereo-zoom microscope (Wild 181300, Switzerland) at (10x50 magnification). The specimen was then preserved in 70% alcohol for further study and was identified using available literature (Rüppell, 1838; Dawson, 1978, 1985; Smith and Heemstra, 1987; Parvathy et al., 2023). After carrying out the taxonomic examination, the specimen was deposited (MRCandRC-UOK-PICS-127) at the Repository of Marine Reference Collection and Resource Centre, University of Karachi.

Results

Systematics accounts

Family Syngnathidae Bonaparte 1831

Genus Hippichthys Bleeker 1849

Hippichthys spicifer (Rüppell 1838) (Figure 2)

Material examined

A single specimen, Catalogue no. (MRC and RC-UOK-PICS-127); 153 mm TL and 3 gm TW, collected on 08 November, 2024 from Kataow Beach (25º16’34’’N, 63º28’32’’E), Pasni, Northern Arabian Sea.

 

Description

Body thin, elongated with tapering snout with total body length from snout to tail reaching 153 mm (Figure 2A). Fresh specimen with greenish-brown color and brownish when preserved. Body with 14 prominent dark bars and encased with total of 54 series of bony rings made of 14 trunk rings and 40 tail rings (Figure 2G). Trunk with a length of 43 mm, trunk depth with 4 mm and tail length 83mm. Head dark brownish with long tubular snout with a length of 17 mm; plain in the upper half and pale to brownish spots on lower half (Figure 2B). Pore-like gill opening above operculum (Figure 2C). Eyes rounded with orbital diameter of 2 mm. Dorsal fin length 17 mm, white with 30 rays (Figure 2E). Pectoral fin length 4mm, white with 14 rays (Figure 2D) and caudal fin fan shaped with a length of 4mm, dark brown with white margin and 10 rays (Figure 2H). Anal fin absent. Anus present at the area below the beginning of dorsal fin (Figure 2E). Superior trunk and tail ridges discontinuous near rear of dorsal-fin base; lateral trunk and tail ridges also discontinued (Figure 2F). Continuous inferior trunk and tail ridge. No brood pouch observed beneath anus. Morphometric and meristic data are presented in Table 1.

Habitat: Found in shallow brackish water.

Distribution: Indo-Pacific region, from Red Sea and East Africa to Sri Lanka, Samoa, India and now from Pakistan.

 

Table 1: The morphometric measurements and meristic counts for Hippichthys spicifer (Rüppell 1838) collected from Kataow Beach, Pasni, Balochistan.

Morphometrics	Measurements (Present study)	Parvathy et al. (2023)	Kitahara and Moriguchi 2022	Dawson 1978
Total length	153 mm	-	101.9-103.7	-
Standard length	149 mm	106 mm	128.6–144.2	80.5- 170.5 mm
Trunk depth	4	2.39	36.4–38.3	2.3–4.1
Head length	17	9.84	12.4–12.9	6.9–10.3
Dorsal fin base	1.7	1.2	69.7–71.8	1.1–1.8
Trunk rings	14	14	15–16	14–16
Tail rings	40	42	39–40	36–41
Total rings	54	56	55	51–56
Meristic counts
Dorsal fin rays	30	25	26–28	25-30
Pectoral fin rays	15	15	16–17	15-18
Caudal fin rays	10	10	10	10

 

 

Discussion

This study presents a detailed investigation based on comprehensive examination of the morphological and taxonomic characteristics of Hippichthys spicifer. The discovery of H. spicifer from Kataow Beach, Pasni, marks the first record of this species from the coastal waters of Balochistan, Pakistan, Northern Arabian Sea, significantly expanding its known geographical range.

This specimen aligns with the diagnostic traits of the genus Hippichthys (Bleeker 1849), supporting earlier findings by Dawson (1978, 1985). It is characterized by the lack of an anal fin; the discontinuous trunk and tail ridges; a continuous inferior trunk and tail ridge; and a laterally deflected trunk ridge, as noted in this study. Notably, this specimen does not exhibit a brood pouch, indicating it was likely a non-breeding male or possibly a female. Brood pouches are generally present in male Syngnathidae, where they serve to incubate eggs, representing a distinctive reproductive adaptation within this family (Herald, 1959; Kuiter, 2009).

Hippichthys spicifer is found in the Indo-West Pacific and inhabits brackish water environments of rivers (Dawson, 1978; Senou, 2002). This species was originally described by Rüppell (1838) from the Red Sea and subsequently was reported from Venezuela and Colombia (Jordan et al., 1930), Indo-pacific (Dawson, 1978, 1985, 1986), South Africa (Cyrus and McLean, 1996; Mbande, 2003; Harrison and Whitfield, 2006; Forbes et al., 2013), Western Central Pacific (Paulus, 1999), Australia (Kuiter, 2000, 2009; Allen et al., 2002), Japan (Senou, 2002; Iwatsuki et al., 2017; Kitahara and Moriguchi, 2022), Tonga (Randall et al., 2003), New Caledonia (Fricke and Kulbicki, 2006; Fricke et al., 2011), Malaysia (Lim et al., 2011), Philippines (Guzman and Capaque, 2014), Kenya (Dubey, 2018), Indonesia (Miesen et al., 2018; Yustian et al., 2024), sub-Saharan Africa and adjacent islands (Claassens et al., 2022), India (Das et al., 2021; Parvathy et al., 2023) and Mozambique (Whitfield and Weerts, 2024).

Ecologically, the association of H. spicifer with mangrove and estuarine habitats has been well-documented, particularly in Southeast Asia. Its presence in Kataow Beach, an estuarine environment, is consistent with this ecological preference, suggesting that mangrove-lined coastal areas along the Balochistan coast may serve as suitable habitats for this species. Similar findings have been reported in studies from other regions (Curtis and Vincent, 2006; Caldwell and Vincent, 2013), reinforcing the importance of these ecosystems for syngnathid conservation.

In comparison to previous studies, the present specimen from Kataow Beach shows notable similarities and some deviations in morphometric and meristic characteristics when compared to other documented specimens of H. spicifer. The standard length (149 mm) recorded in this study falls within the size range reported by Dawson (1978), who noted total lengths between 80.5 mm - 170.5 mm. However, when compared to Parvathy et al. (2023), who documented slightly smaller specimens with a standard length of 106 mm, and Kitahara and Moriguchi (2022) with length of 128.6–144.2. The present specimen appears to represent a larger individual. Such size variation is not uncommon in marine fish populations and may reflect differences in habitat conditions, food availability, or population structure across different regions.

From meristic point of view, the present specimen exhibited 14 trunk rings and 40 tail rings, aligning closely with Dawson’s (1978) reported range of 14–16 trunk rings and 36–41 tail rings. However, the total number of rings (54) in the present study slightly deviates from the higher count of 55 rings by Kitahara and Moriguchi (2022) and 56 rings observed by Parvathy et al. (2023) suggesting minor variability within the species across its range. The dorsal fin ray count of 30 in the present specimen also falls within the upper range reported by (Dawson 1978) (25–30 rays), and similarly, the caudal fin ray count of 10 matches with all previous records, The pectoral fin ray count (15) is identical to the findings of both Parvathy et al. (2023) and Dawson (1978), confirming the stability of this character across different populations.

In conclusion, the present study adds valuable data to the ichthyofaunal diversity of Pakistan and highlights the significance of conserving coastal and estuarine habitats. The comparison with other regional studies shows that while there are some minor variations in morphometric and meristic characters, the present specimen confirms largely to the existing descriptions of H. spicifer. This study also reinforces the importance of further research on syngnathid populations in Pakistan to ensure sustainable management and conservation of these unique species, particularly in light of their vulnerability to overexploitation and habitat degradation around the world.

Acknowledgments

The authors extend their sincere gratitude to Dr. Javed Anwar Shahwani, Secretary of the Fisheries and Coastal Development Department, Government of Balochistan, for his invaluable support of our research. This study is conducted as part of the project titled “Stock Assessment of Fish Species in the Coastal Waters of Balochistan: Focus on Fish Stock Depletion”. The authors also wish to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Abdul Wahid (Fisherman Pasni) to help during the fish sample collection. We would like to extend our gratitude to Dr. Ali Reza Sari and Dr Qadeer Muhammad Ali for identification of fish and reviewing the manuscript.

Novelty Statement

This study presents the first record of the Bellybarred Pipefish, Hippichthys spicifer, along the Balochistan coast of the Northern Arabian Sea, expanding the known geographic distribution of the species and contributing new data to regional marine biodiversity records.

Author’s Contribution

Asadullah Ali Muhammad: Conceptualization, Execution, drafting the manuscript.

Ateeqa Baloch: Data analysis, editing.

Funding

No funding was received for conducting this study.

Ethics approval and consent of publication

The Research Paper has not been published previously nor is being considered for publication. Approval of all authors have been obtained. No approval of research ethics committees was required to complete the objectives of this study because the work was conducted with an unregulated fish species.

Data availability

All data supporting of the finding of this study are available within the article and its supplementary material.

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

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