Messmate pipefish habitat
Corythoichthys haematopterus inhabits shallow coastal waters to 20 metres depth. Habitats the species can be found in include sand, silt, corals, rubble, reef flats, algae, mangroves, and seagrasses (Blaber 1986, Kuiter 2000, Nakamura et al. 2003, Sogabe and Yanagisawa 2008, Allen and Erdmann 2012). The species feeds on zooplankton and small zoobenthos (Sano et al. 1984), and grows to be about 20 cm SL.
The species is ovoviviparous and exhibits male pregnancy and strict monogamy. Females compete for and guard males, and have larger home ranges. They mate multiple times per season, with gestation lasting 9-19 days (Matsumoto and Yanagisawa 2001). Pair bonds are maintained through the non-breeding season, which lasts from October to April in southern Japan (Sogabe and Yanagisawa 2008). Mated pairs have been shown to exhibit mate recognition (Sogabe 2011). Males brood eggs under their tail until giving birth to live young (Dawson 1985).
