Habitat

Solegnathus lettiensis is a benthic inhabitant of outer continental shelf waters (Paxton et al. 1989), and has been captured from depths of 42-180 m.

Behaviour and Biology

Although all members of the genus Solegnathus have males that carry eggs on the underside of the tail (Dawson 1985), nothing more is known about the biology of this species. Pipehorses probably rely on camouflage to avoid predators. The diet is unknown but like other species in the family, S. lettiensis probably feeds on small crustaceans (Pogonoski et al. 2002).

Size

Solegnathus lettiensis reaches a maximum total length of approximately 525 mm (Dawson 1985).

Critical Habitats

No critical habitats have been identified. It is likely that this species has specific habitat preferences that determine its abundance within its range, but little or no research has focused on the critical habitats for this species. Pipehorses are likely to be demersal and associated with habitat structure as all have been caught by benthic or demersal gear together with sessile species such as sponges, corals, and gorgonians.