Syngnathidae

Shortpouch pygmy pipehorse

Acentronura breviperula

A tiny pipehorse camouflaged among sand rubble and algae

• Tropical
• Regional distribution
• Marine fish
• Indian Ocean
• Pacific Ocean
• Oceania
• Southeast Asia
• Elongated
• Small
• Tropical fish

Acentronura breviperula, also known as the shortpouch pygmy pipehorse, dwarf pipehorse and northern little pipehorse, is a species of pygmy pipehorse, a member of the family Syngnathidae, the seahorses and pipefishes. It occurs in the Indo-Pacific region from the eastern Andaman Sea, through the Malay Archipelago to the Western Pacific as far east as New Guinea and the northern Great Barrier Reef. It is a small, drab-coloured pipehorse which is very well camouflaged among sandy and silty habitats, although it is usually found on substrates of coral rubble or in areas of sparse algal growth.