Corythoichthys paxtoni, commonly known as Paxton’s pipefish, is a species of marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is endemic to the Coral Sea, being found in the Great Barrier Reef, the Chesterfield Islands, and New Caledonia. It inhabits coral reefs and rubble lagoons to depths of 18 metres (59 ft), where it can grow to lengths of 13 centimetres (5.1 in). This species mates monogamously and is ovoviviparous, with males carrying eggs until giving birth to live young. The generic name is derived from Greek korys or korythos which means “helmet” and ichtys which means “fish”. The specific name honours Dr John R. Paxton, the former Curator of Fishes, Australian Museum, Sydney.
Paxton's Pipefish |
Corythoichthys paxtoni
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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IUCN Red List Assessment, Corythoichthys paxtoni
Threats (see Appendix for additional information) Corythoichthys paxtoni is threatened by coral reef degradation and loss as a result of coastal development; pollution; destructive fishing practices such as trawling; ocean acidification; and increased sea surface temperatures due to climate change (Bruno and Selig 2007; Carpenter et al. 2008; DeÀth et al. 2012); all of which have accelerated in recent years to contribute to the current El Niño associated global bleaching event (Normile 2016).
The species would likely benefit from global efforts to mitigate climate change and ocean acidification.
One third of reef building corals face elevated extinction risk from climate change and local impacts.