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Corythoichthys haematopterus Pipefish Courtship

In the lead-up to spawning, messmate pipefishes (Corythoichthys haematopterus) engage in a courtship ritual. Females visit a male that is ready to spawn and brood the resulting fertilized eggs. As part of this process, the fish cross their bodies in an X-pattern as seen here. This seems to be integral to pair bonding. The female is in the foreground. Photographed in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.

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Filename: corythoichthys-haematopterus-pipefish-courtship-202405-0122.tif
Copyright: Copyright Tony Wu. All rights reserved. No duplication, reproduction or usage without prior written permission.
Image Size: 6954x3912 / 157.7MB; https://www.photoshelter.com/support/license#rm; https://www.tony-wu.com/contact-tony-wu; Bony Fish Pipefish Animalia Chordata Osteichthyes Teleostei Syngnathiformes Syngnathidae Corythoichthys haematopterus Ishi-youji Messmate Pipefish Reeftop Pipefish Reproduction Courtship Spawning Pacific Japan Kagoshima Prefecture
Contained in galleries: Marine Life | Japan, Marine Life Reproduction, Fish Photos

In the lead-up to spawning, messmate pipefishes (Corythoichthys haematopterus) engage in a courtship ritual. Females visit a male that is ready to spawn and brood the resulting fertilized eggs. As part of this process, the fish cross their bodies in an X-pattern as seen here. This seems to be integral to pair bonding. The female is in the foreground. Photographed in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.