About Festucalex cinctus (Ramsay, 1882)
Festucalex cinctus (Ramsay, 1882), commonly called the girdled pipefish or orange-cheek pipefish, is a species of marine fish in the pipefish family Syngnathidae. This species is endemic to the waters off eastern Australia. It is found along the coasts of the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales.
Festucalex cinctus is a secretive species. It inhabits sheltered coastal bays and estuaries, where it occurs on patches of coral rubble or sand, and in areas with sparse growth of seagrass, algae, and sponges. It lives at depths between 8 and 31 metres (26 to 102 feet). Small numbers of F. cinctus have also been recorded in open water near the pilings of piers in harbours.