Macleay's Crested pipefish (Rhino pipefish) Histiogamphelus cristatus; Macleay 1881) ranges from Bass Straight through to south-western W.A. Most reports are from South Australia, where specimens have been recorded from the Victorian border to the Great Australian Bight (OZCAM 2007; D. Muirhead and K. Smith, unpublished survey data, 2004, 2005; Smith, 2005).  H. cristatus inhabits shallow sub-tidal seagrass beds in estuaries, including patchy sea grasses adjacent to open sand and rubble substrates (Browne, 2004; Kuiter, 2000). Juveniles have been recorded amongst loose vegetation that accumulates on sand due to current action, providing a form of transport (Kuiter, 2000). Specimens have also been recorded around jetties (OZCAM database records, 2006).