---
title: Thread Pipehorse (Kyonemichthys rumengani)
scientific_name: Kyonemichthys rumengani
common_name: Thread Pipehorse
taxon: Pipefishes
conservation_status: LC - Least Concern
published: 2024-10-30T10:40:27.850Z
updated: 2026-08-07T21:05:03.376Z
tags: Thread Pipehorse, Kyonemichthys rumengani, Pipefishes, Red Sea, Marine Life, Diving
url: https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/pipefishes/thread-pipehorse
---

# Thread Pipehorse (*Kyonemichthys rumengani*)

## Quick facts

- **Group:** Pipefishes (*Syngnathinae*)
- **Size:** 2.68 cm
- **Depth:** 15-20 m
- **Conservation status:** LC - Least Concern

The thread pipefish (Kyonemichthys rumengani), known in Japan as Hari-youji, is a species indigenous to the Pacific Ocean, particularly around Indonesia, inhabiting depths ranging from 15 to 20 meters (49 to 66 feet). This species, reaching a length of 2.68 centimeters (1.06 inches), is the sole representative of its genus.

Initially described in 2007 following the examination of an adult female specimen from the Lembeh Strait in Sulawesi, Kyonemichthys rumengani was originally thought to be closely related to the pygmy pipehorse genera, Acentronura and Idiotropiscis, due to morphological similarities. However, mitochondrial genetic analyses have positioned Kyonemichthys as a sister taxon to Urocampus, forming a clade that excludes the more phylogenetically distant Acentronura, Idiotropiscis, and Siokunichthys.

Originally identified in Indonesia, Kyonemichthys rumengani demonstrates a widespread distribution throughout the Indo-Pacific region. It has been documented in diverse locations, including the Red Sea near Egypt, the Ryukyu Islands, the Philippines, Fiji, the Mariana Islands, and Papua New Guinea. This species is typically found in mixed habitats on shallow coastal reefs and is noted for utilizing bryozoans, hydroids, and debris as holdfasts for orientation.

## Also known as

- **English:** Thread Pipefish
- **Italian:** Pesce ago filiforme
- **Spanish:** Pez pipa de hilo
- **Czech:** jehla Rumenganova
- **Japanese:** ハリヨウジ, Hariyoji

---

*Source: [Red Sea Creatures](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/pipefishes/thread-pipehorse)*
*Updated: August 7, 2026*