Holotype : AMS I.49510-001, male, 145.5 mm SL, collected from a scuba dive area locally referred to as “The Steps”, Kamay Botany Bay National Park, Kurnell, Botany Bay, NSW, Australia, 34°00'07.9"S, 151°13'41.4"E, 13.5 m depth, 18 June 2020, by A. Trevor-Jones and D. Harasti.

Paratypes : AMS I.47267, two females, 130.7 mm and 135.2 mm SL, collected from a scuba dive area known as “The Steps”, Kamay Botany Bay National Park, Kurnell, Botany Bay, NSW, Australia, 34°00'07.9"S, 151°13'41.4"E, 12 m depth, 9 June 2017, by D. Harasti, R. Rodrigues, and A. Trevor-Jones.

Stigmatopora nigra AMS I.42611-009, Botany Bay, NSW, Australia, 03 Feb 2003, K. Parkinson; Stigmatopra narinosa, SAMA F10190, holotype, 150 mm SL, South Australia, Edithburg Pool, 35°05'S, 137°45'E, 31 Dec 2003. Published data was obtained for S. argus, S. macropterygia, S. narinosa, and S. nigra from Dawson (1982, 1985).

Stigmatopora harastii differs from its congeners by the following combination of morphological characters: median ridge, distinct, low, present on dorsum of head and first trunk ring starting from the posterior third of the frontal, over the supraoccipital, to the anterior and posterior nuchal plates; opercular ridge prominent, complete, not angled dorsad; lateromedial ridge, distinct, low, present between opercle and pectoral fin base; dorsal-fin origin on 6^th–7^th trunk rings, subdorsal rings 19–20 (12 trunk rings + 7 or 8 tail rings); lateral trunk ridge ends on first tail ring. Colouration: red background colour; dorsum of snout with large, irregular pale white spots; sides of head and anterior trunk rings with large, irregular pale white spots or with diffuse pale white stripe; venter of first trunk ring with distinct red elongated spots in longitudinal row, almost forming a stripe, on midline present in male (AMS I. 49510-001); venter of anterior trunk rings pale red with a large cluster of distinct red spots extending posteriad from second trunk ring in male (AMS I. 49510-001), few scattered small red spots in females (AMS I.1.47267).

General body shape as in Figs 1–6. Morphometric, meristic, and morphological characters listed in Table 1. Superior trunk and tail ridges continuous, not arched dorsad below the dorsal-fin base; lateral trunk ridge ends without deflection on the first tail ring; lateral tail ridge absent; inferior trunk and tail ridges continuous, the former largely located on the ventral portion of the trunk; dorsum of the trunk flat to slightly convex between superior ridges; trunk flat to slightly V-shaped ventrad, without a prominent median ridge; trunk compressed dorsoventrally and expanded laterad, especially in the females; tail slender, distally attenuated or thread-like. Snout long and slender; median dorsal snout ridge low, entire, failing to reach the interorbital, and ends just before vertical through nares; preorbital moderately broad, the nares well removed from anterior rim of orbit; interorbital broad, flat to slightly concave; median ridge, distinct, low, present on dorsum of head and first trunk ring starting from the posterior third of the frontal, over the supraoccipital, to the anterior and posterior nuchal plates; opercular ridge, prominent, complete, not angled dorsad; supraopercular ridges absent; opercle with or within a complete or incomplete longitudinal ridge, elsewhere ornamented with fine radiating striae; gill opening located above middle or posterior third of opercle; lateromedial ridge, distinct, low, present between cleithrum and pectoral fin base; principal body ridges low; head and body without spines, denticulations or dermal flaps; dorsal-fin origin on 6^th–7^th trunk rings, subdorsal rings 19–20 (12 trunk rings + 7 or 8 tail rings); lateral trunk ridge ends on first tail ring; anal-fin rays four; pouch plates absent; brood pouch under anterior portion of tail; pouch plates absent.

Figure 1. 

Stigmatopora harastii, preserved directly after collection, AMS I. 49510-001, holotype male, 145.5 mm SL A dorsal view B lateral view C ventral view; Australia: NSW, Botany Bay, Kurnell (photograph: Kerryn Parkinson).

Figure 2. 

Stigmatopora harastii, preserved directly after collection, paratypes, female A AMS I.47267-001, 136.3 mm SL B AMS I.47267-002, 138.2 mm SL; Australia: NSW, Botany Bay, Kurnell (photograph: Kerryn Parkinson).

In life, S. harastii exhibits red background colouration with unique colour patterns: dorsum of snout with large, irregular pale white spots; sides of head and anterior trunk rings with large, irregular pale white or red spots or with diffuse pale white markings; sexual dimorphic markings with venter of first trunk ring exhibiting distinct red elongated spots in longitudinal row on midline, almost forming a stripe, present in males (Figs 1, 3, 5); and venter of anterior trunk rings lighter than sides and dorsum with a large cluster of distinct red spots extending posteriad from second trunk ring in males (Figs 1, 3, 5) whereas few scattered small red spots are present in the females (AMS I.47267). In alcohol, head and body background colour typically uniformly pale red (Fig. 1). Fins hyaline.

Figure 3. 

Stigmatopora harastii in situ, AMS I. 49510-001, holotype, male A (right individual) B (left individual); The Steps, Kurnell, Botany Bay, NSW, Australia, 13.5 meters depth, 18 June 2020. The male holotype was photographed with a paired female individual, which was not collected. Note the large cluster of distinct red spots extending posteriad on venter of anterior trunk rings in the male (photographs: Andrew Trevor-Jones).

Figure 4. 

Stigmatopora harastii in situ, AMS I.47267 paratypes, female, The Steps, Kurnell, Botany Bay, NSW, Australia at 11–12 meters depth, 06 June 2017 (photographs: David Harasti).

Figure 5. 

Distribution of Stigmatopora harastii in NSW, Australia. Type locality in green.

This species is named after David Harasti, one of the first to recognize S. harastii as being a new species, for recognition of his efforts towards conservation of Syngnathidae in Australia, and for being an aficionado extraordinaire of his beloved genus Stigmatopora. David has stated he counts green pipefish to fall asleep. Harasti’s Pipefish and the Red Wide-bodied Pipefish are proposed here as the common names for S. harastii.

Stigmatopora harastii is currently known to occur in central NSW, Australia from only three localities, including Botany Bay, Shellharbour, and Jervis Bay (Fig. 5). The paratypes and holotype described herein were collected separately at the scuba dive site referred to as The Steps between 2017 and 2020, respectively, at a depth of 11–12 meters at the southern entrance to Botany Bay, which is located within the Kamay Botany Bay National Park at Kurnell. The topography above and below the water at the type locality and the other localities is consistent for the Sydney Basin bioregion in the central eastern coast of Australia, which covers an area between Newcastle in the north to Bateman’s Bay in the south (Andrew 1999), and is comprised of weathered sandstone cliffs and flat intertidal platforms (Fig. 6). Subtidally, the rocky reefs typically have large undercut benches that are interspersed with large boulders and gutters. The underwater habitat closest to shore is composed of large boulders that are mostly devoid of sessile growth (Fig. 6), which is followed by sandy bottom at a depth of approximately 10–15 metres. At this depth, the sandy bottom is littered with large boulders, which are covered in prolific sessile growth, including ascidians, bryozoans, and sponges, and interspersed with beds of kelp (Ecklonia). Fucoid algae, and seagrass habitat comprising species that occur commonly in NSW coastal and estuarine areas such as Posidonia australis and Zostera capricorni, were recorded as absent. Along the sand edge of the entrance, small isolated clumps of red algae appearing to be of the family Gracilariaceae Nägeli, 1847, and possibly of the species Crassiphycus secundatus (Harvey) Gurgel, J.N. Norris & Fredericq, 2018, were attached to flat rocky substrate that was usually covered in sand. The red algae mostly appeared to occur at low densities as single or one to three adjoining clumps and widely dispersed throughout the habitat. Fluctuations in density of red algae was observed over many dives in the same area by the second author.

Figure 6. 

Aerial view of the scuba dive site The Steps, Kurnell, Botany Bay, NSW, Australia A shore and entrance B inshore boulders (photographs: Michael McFadyen).

Single individuals or male-female pairs of S. harastii were observed to be closely associated with the red algae; however, they were infrequently detected and present in only one isolated clump of red algae among all the other clumps in the close vicinity. Multiple dives by the second author between the collection of the type specimens at The Steps in the area where the type specimens were collected, as well as at other nearby large areas with red algae did not consistently detect the presence of S. harastii. Most times individuals were absent or only a single individual was found, possibly suggesting fluctuations in the abundance of the red algae with which S. harastii associates. Individuals were oriented vertically or at an angle and extremely well-camouflaged within the red algae, the distal third of their tails clasped around single fronds. The habitat was subject to strong surge in which individuals of S. harastii and the red algae together were observed swaying in unison with the surge (https://vimeo.com/229093467). The second author has observed on occasion active individuals swimming from one clump of red algae to another or feeding actively just outside the red algae. Feeding behaviour appears to be similar to other Stigmatopora species, with individuals darting out from the cover of their alga to capture food such as small copepods and shrimp. Individuals have been also observed nearby between the Steps and the dive site locally referred to as the Leap, one of which was associated with another species of red algae appearing to be of the genus Gracilaria Greville, 1830 (Fig. 7).

Figure 7. 

Stigmatopora harastii in situ, male, The Leap, Kurnell, Botany Bay, NSW, Australia, 12 meters depth, 03 October 2018 (photograph: Andrew Trevor-Jones).

Stigmatopora harastii was also observed at the dive site locally referred to as the Minmi Trench, located at the northern headland of Botany Bay, that consists of a flattish reef with small to large boulders at about 16 meters depth, which then drops off to 22–23 meters depth. A male-female pair was observed associating with a finger sponge appearing to be a member of the family Callyspongiidae Laubenfels, 1936 at 18 meters depth (Fig. 8). Photographs of S. harastii were also taken on January 2017 at the locality referred to as The Gutter at Bass Point, Shellharbour, NSW at 18 meters depth (Fig. 9). A male individual exhibiting the characteristic dimorphic colour pattern on its ventral trunk was observed in red algae appearing to be of the same species observed at Kurnell (Fig. 9A–C). Additionally, a female individual (Fig. 9D) was observed associating with a clump of bubble red algae appearing to be of a different species of red algae of the genus Gracilaria.

Figure 8. 

Stigmatopora harastii in situ, male-female pair A lateral view B anterior view, Minmi Trench, Botany Bay, NSW, Australia, 18 meters depth, 17 February 2019 (photographs: Duncan Heuer).

Figure 9. 

Stigmatopora harastii in situ A–C male D female, The Gutter, Bass Point, Shellharbour, NSW, Australia, 18 meters depth, 17 Feb 2017 (photographs: Craig Taylor).

Stigmatopora harastii shares morphological synapomorphies with S. argus, S. macropterygia, S. narinosa, and S. nigra, including principle body ridges, dorsal-fin placement, distally attenuated, slender tail, and absence of caudal fin (Dawson 1982, 1985; Browne and Smith 2007). Stigmatopora harastii appears to be most similar to S. nigra (Dawson 1982: fig. 7) in meristics, snout length and shape, dorsal-fin origin on 6^th–7^th trunk ring, presence of a distinct median longitudinal ridge between the opercle and pectoral-fin base, and lateral trunk ridge terminating on the first tail ring (Table 2). Even though all members of Stigmatopora share similar meristic and morphometric characters (Table 2; Dawson 1982, 1985; Browne and Smith 2007), they can be morphologically distinguished on the basis of a distinct but low dorsal median ridge present on the dorsum of the head and first trunk ring (Dawson 1982, 1985; Browne and Smith 2007). In S. harastii, the dorsal median ridge extends from the posterior third of the frontal to the supraoccipital, anterior, and posterior nuchal plates (Fig. 10) (versus the posterior third of the frontal to the supraoccipital, anterior, and posterior nuchal plates, and first trunk ring in S. nigra [Fig. 10; Dawson 1982: fig. 7]; the anterior and posterior nuchal plates in S. argus [Dawson 1982: fig. 2]; absence of low dorsal median ridge on head an first trunk ring in S. macropterygia; restricted to the supraoccipital in S. narinosa). Stigmatopora harastii also differs from S. argus and S. macropterygia in the termination of the lateral trunk ridge on the tail ring (first tail ring vs. 8^th–20^th tail ring in S. argus; 22^nd–35^th tail ring in S. macropterygia) and the presence of a median longitudinal ridge between the opercle and pectoral-fin base (vs. absence of longitudinal ridge). Stigmatopora harastii is distinguished from S. narinosa in the shape of the snout (long vs. medium length, laterally flattened, and dorsally elevated) and the presence of the longitudinal ridge between the opercle and pectoral-fin base (vs. absence of longitudinal ridge).

Figure 10. 

Comparison of the dorsal median ridge present on the head and first trunk ring in: A S. harastii and B S. nigra, AMS I.42611-009. Note the dorsal median ridge (DMR) extending into the first trunk ring in S. nigra versus ending on the posterior nuchal plate in S. harastii. Abbreviations: ANP, anterior nuchal plate; DMR, dorsal median ridge; Fr, frontal; PNP, posterior nuchal plate; SOC, supraoccipital; first TnR, first trunk ring (illustration by Kent Sorgon).

The new species is most easily distinguished from S. nigra by features of the colour pattern in life (Figs 1–4, 6–9), including red background colour on the body (vs. base colour variably light brown to dark green in S. nigra [Fig. 11A, B]), and sexual dimorphic markings comprising (1) distinct red elongated spots in longitudinal row on midline, almost forming a stripe on venter of first trunk ring in the male and a smattering of red dots in the female (Figs 1–3, 6, 8B, C) (vs. small dots or striations crossing posterior area of snout, suborbital, and lower part of opercle on venter of head in S. nigra in the male and female [Fig. 11A, B; Dawson 1982: fig. 8]), and (2) a large cluster of distinct red spots extending posteriad from the second trunk ring on venter of the anterior trunk rings in the male and a smattering of red dots in the female (Figs 1–3, 7, 9B, C) (vs. presence of stripes between the trunk rings on the venter of all the trunk rings in S. nigra; pale stripes in the male, and dark stripes in the female, with the 2^nd and 3^rd trunk ring stripes darkest [Fig. 11A, B; Dawson 1982: fig. 8]). Stigmatopora narinosa exhibits two pairs of large black spots arranged in two rows, respectively, on venter of first trunk ring whereas dark transverse bands are present on the venter of each trunk and tail ring with anterior and dorsal margins of each ring white, forming thin white lines between each ring, resulting in appearance of a series of inverted saddles (Browne and Smith 2007). In contrast, S. argus and S. macropterygia exhibit no distinctive markings on venter of the head whereas venter of the trunk and tail in S. argus presents narrow dark bars between the rings on the whole trunk and anterior third of tail (vs. absence of markings on venter of trunk and tail in S. macropterygia; Fig. 11E; Dawson 1982).

Figure 11. 

Fucoid algae and seagrass associating members of Stigmatopora in situ A S. nigra, male, Nelson Bay, NSW (photograph: David Harasti) B S. nigra, female, Port Hughes, Gulf St Vincent, South Australia (photograph: David Muirhead) C S. argus, Port Hughes, Gulf St Vincent, South Australia (photograph: Graham Short) D S. narinosa, Port Hughes, Gulf St Vincent, South Australia (photograph: Graham Short) E S. macropterygia, Winstones Cove, North Island, New Zealand (photograph: Nick Shears).

Stigmatopora harastii, S. nigra, and S. narinosa share the presence of large, irregular pale white spots on dorsum of snout (vs. absence of white spots in S. argus and S. macropterygia). Finally, S. harastii and S. nigra share the presence of large, irregular pale white spots with scattering of small red dots, or diffuse pale white stripes, on sides of head and anterior superior trunk rings (vs. absence of colour markings on sides of head and anterior superior trunk rings in S. argus and S. macropterygia). In contrast, Stigmatopora narinosa exhibits a camouflage pattern of brown and white diffuse colouration on sides of head.