Siphonognathus beddomei

Pencil weed whiting
Siphonognathus beddomei
Siphonognathus beddomei, Rocky Cape, TAS, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Siphonognathus beddomei
Siphonognathus beddomei, male, Rocky Cape, TAS, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Siphonognathus beddomei
Siphonognathus beddomei, Adelaide, SA, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Siphonognathus beddomei
Siphonognathus beddomei, Flinders Is, TAS, Photo: Andrew Green
Siphonognathus beddomei
Siphonognathus beddomei, Flinders Is, TAS, Photo: Andrew Green
Siphonognathus beddomei
Siphonognathus beddomei, Kangaroo Island, SA, Photo: Antonia Cooper
Siphonognathus beddomei
Siphonognathus beddomei, Flinders Is, TAS, Photo: Andrew Green
Siphonognathus beddomei
Siphonognathus beddomei, Coles Bay, TAS, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
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Siphonognathus beddomei
Siphonognathus beddomei
Siphonognathus beddomei
Siphonognathus beddomei
Siphonognathus beddomei
Siphonognathus beddomei
Siphonognathus beddomei
Siphonognathus beddomei

Distribution

Temperate Australasia


Description

Extended body like the slender rock whiting, but the snout is long and pointed. The sides of the body generally carry thin blue stripes that are particularly conspicuous during the breeding season. Small aggregations of this species are very common above beds of Phyllospora comosa and other large brown algae on wave exposed reefs, but divers rarely notice these animals because of their small size.


Information

Max Size: 12 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 11.8-22.7°C

Depth: 1-15m

Habitat Generalization Index: 6.96

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Least Concern

Occurrence: Common (23.5% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Several (7 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: GJ Edgar. 2008. Australian Marine Life. New Holland, Sydney