This intimate close-up reveals the fine detail of the ornate ghost pipefish ( Solenostomus paradoxus ), a relative of the seahorse . Ghost pipefishes are masters of disguise ; in fact , they may have some of the best camouflage in the sea , ranging from from uncanny mimicry of leaves and algae to sponges and echinoderms . They can be found in the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean , where they mimic the arms of feather stars , where they can be found sheltering with their life-long partners . Photographer Saaed Rashid says the picture was intended to highlight the resemblance to the pipefish ’ s distant relatives , the seahorses , which exist in a different family of marine creatures . “ They also have different characteristics ,” Saeed says . “ Unlike the seahorse , it ’ s the female that broods the eggs , held within large fused pelvic fins located under the body .” For more photographs by Saeed , check out
focusvisuals . com