Doryrhamphus japonicus Araga & Yoshino, 1975

Family:	Syngnathidae (Pipefishes and seahorses), subfamily: Syngnathinae
Order:	Syngnathiformes (pipefishes and seahorses)
Class:	Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
In this site name:
Max. size:	8.5 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 559)
Environment:	reef-associated; marine
Climate:	temperate
Importance:
Resilience:	High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months(Preliminary K or Fecundity.)
Distribution:	Northwest Pacific: Japan and Taiwan.
Morphology:	Dorsal soft rays (total): 22 - 22. Body orange yellow when fresh. Trunk rings 20, tail rings 15. Lateral trunk ridge continuous with inferior tail ridge; superior trunk and tail ridges extending forward over 4 trunk rings. Three serrated ridges dorsally on snout, the median ridge heavily serrated. Body ridges illustrating single spine except anterior six of superior trunk ridge and 3 lateral trunk ridge which has double spines. No ventrolateral projection on the snout.
Biology:	Inhabits small caves in sublittoral rocky reefs. Reported from tide pools to depths of at least 25 m offshore, but mostly seen in shallow depths (Ref. 48635). Often in pairs. Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205). The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail (Ref. 205). Spawns from the end of May to September. An active cleaner that shares crevices with shrimps, large mud crabs and sometimes moray eels (Ref. 48635).
Red List Status:	Not in IUCN Red List (Ref. 57073)
Dangerous:	harmless
Coordinator: