Thorntail Pipefish, Thorn-tailed Pipefish  |  

This decline is the result of coastal development and pollution; destructive fishing practices such as trawling and dynamite fishing; and the impacts of climate change including rising sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification (Bruno and Selig 2007; Carpenter et al. 2008; De’Ath et al. 2012; Normile 2016).

The species and its coral habitat would likely benefit from international efforts to mitigate anthropogenic climate change.

One third of reef building corals face elevated extinction risk from climate change and local impacts.