Seahorse: All You Need To Know
The Seahorse (Hippocampus) is an omnivorous creature that belongs to the Animalia family, phylum Chordata, class Actinopterygii, order Syngnathiformes, and family Syngnathidae. Its genus is Hippocampus.
The sea horse can grow up to 0.9 to 12 inches, with a lifespan of up to 2 to 6 years. Sea horses are saltwater creatures that feed on tiny fish, brine shrimp, and plankton. Sea horses are preyed upon by fish, crabs, and rays.
The long snout and brooding pouch on the male are their more distinguished characteristics. Physical characteristics include plates on their skin and appearance.
The seahorse has the head of a horse, the tail of a monkey, and the pouch of a kangaroo. And that’s only the start of how seahorses are unlike anything else in the animal realm.
The seahorse is a tiny vertebrate family that lives in tropical shallows and temperate seas all around the world. The seahorse is a type of fish that can be found in large numbers near coral reefs, where there is usually plenty of food and hiding places.
Five Outstanding Seahorse Facts
1. The seahorse is the world’s slowest fish: The dwarf seahorse is the world’s slowest moving fish, as per the Guinness Book of World Records. Its max speed is only 60 inches per hour, according to reports.
2. They’re a type of fish: The seahorse has an instantly recognisable form that is unlike any other fish species. The seahorse, on the other hand, is a fish that is closely related to pipefish and sea dragons.
3. There are no stomachs in seahorses: Seahorses are fish without a stomach and digestive tracks. That implies they must feed almost constantly in order to survive.
4. Male seahorses give birth: It’s true, male seahorses become pregnant and give birth to thousands of babies at the same time! Female seahorses put their eggs in the pouches of male seahorses, which are fertilised. The seahorse embryos are released from the male’s pouch at a breakneck speed after about three weeks of development.
5. Seahorses seem to be romantic and will “dance” for days before settling down with their partners: Many seahorse species are monogamous, meaning they will only mate once during their lifetimes. Furthermore, before choosing their mates, seahorses typically engage in a “dance” that can continue for days.
Seahorse Classification and Scientific Name
All seahorses have a scientific name that comprises their genus, which is Hippocampus. Hippocampus is a Greek word that loosely translates to’sea monster.’ The tiny seahorse, Hippocampus zosterae, and the Zebra seahorse, Hippocampus zebra, are two examples of unique seahorse species.
Seahorses belong to the Syngnathidae family, which has 322 species recognised as of late 2020, with 12 of them discovered in the previous decade. Pipefish and seadragons are the closest relatives of the seahorse.
The seahorse, unlike other fish, lacks scales and instead possesses a bone structure composed of small plates that is covered in a thin layer of skin.
Seahorse Species
With the exception of the polar areas and non-temperate coasts, there are 46 identified species of seahorse found in all saltwater types across the world. Seahorses are relatively tiny creatures, measuring roughly 10cm in height on average, but this varies by species. The big-bellied seahorse, for example, may grow to be 14 inches (35 cm) long. We’ve included a few different varieties of seahorses beneath.
• The Hippocampus zosterae (the dwarf seahorse) may be found in the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and Florida. The Guinness Book of World Records has designated it the world’s slowest fish, with a maximum length of only 5 cm. Although the tiny seahorse is attractive in aquariums, it is endangered due to habitat loss.
• The pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) inhabits the Western Pacific at depths of 16 to 40 metres in the Western Pacific, off the coast of Indonesia and northern Australia. It prefers to be in the company of soft corals. The seahorse is one of the tiniest, with a maximum size of only 2.4 cm. Pygmy seahorses have a distinct look, with red bulbous tubercles along the length of their bodies, allowing them to blend in with coral reefs, and a small snout.
• Southern Australia and New Zealand are home to the Big-Belly Seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis). One of the biggest seahorse species, it may grow up to 35 cm (14 inches) in length. Belly-Belly seahorses are nocturnal and may be found in depths of 0 to 104 metres.
• The Zebra Seahorse (Hippocampus zebra) receives its name from its alternating black and white stripes that resemble zebra stripes. The species was initially reported in 1964, and there is still a lot to learn about it. It may be found off the coast of Queensland, Australia, among reefs, and can grow up to 8 cm in length.
• The Giant Seahorse (Hippocampus ingens) is somewhat smaller than the big-bellied seahorse, reaching up to 30 cm (12 inches). The species can be found on the reefs in the Eastern Pacific. Its range extends from San Diego’s northern outskirts to the Galapagos Islands. In late 2016, the IUCN classified the species as threatened.
• Barbour’s Seahorse (Hippocampus barbouri) grows up to 15 cm (6 in) in length and dwells between Indonesia and the Philippines on islands and reefs. Strong coral reefs are preferred by this species. The IUCN classified it as Vulnerable in 2017.
• The Giraffe Seahorse (Hippocampus camelopardalis) may be found from Tanzania to South Africa, and it dwells in seas up to 45 metres deep along Africa’s coast. Seagrass and algal beds are preferred habitats for this species.
• The Tiger Tail Seahorse (Hippocampus comes) may grow to be over 20 cm long and can be found across Southeast Asian waterways (8 inches). The species is monogamous and may be found on reefs and in aquatic vegetation like sponge gardens. The species is renowned in aquariums because of its “tiger-like” striping over its body. However, the IUCN has classified the species as Vulnerable since 2013.
• The word “spiny” comes from the “thorn” items that cover the body of the Spiny Seahorse (Hippocampus histrix). The species has a large snout and one of the most widespread distributions of any seahorse. Spiny seahorses have been found across most of the Pacific Ocean, including the Indian Ocean. The IUCN has classified the species as Vulnerable, and it is threatened by habitat degradation.
Seahorse Distribution, Population, and Habitat
Seahorses may be found in all of the world’s seas, although the majority of them live in tropical or warm-tempered waters. Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific have the highest concentration of species, with a variety of species living in varied settings.
Seahorses love soft coral settings and dwell in offshore reefs with depths of less than 100 metres. Kelp, eelgrass, open water, grass beds, and a variety of other locations with aquatic flora that the seahorse may cling to or merge in with that are examples of habitats where the species can be found. Seahorses have a variety of distinguishing characteristics that aid in their survival in their maritime habitats.
The seahorse has a large snout for sucking in food and a long tail for swimming and adhering to coral and aquatic plants, which it achieves by wrapping its long tail around items to hold itself down.
Seahorse Predators and Prey
The seahorse is mostly a carnivorous creature. It feeds itself by sucking food into its body with its extended snout, which really is devoid of teeth and the capacity to chew.
The seahorse eats brine shrimp, plankton, and other small fish species. Seahorses are generally carnivorous, but they will eat algae and seaweed on occasion. Because it lacks a stomach, the seahorse must eat nearly constantly, ingesting up to a fourth of its body volume in a single day.
Because of its tiny size and susceptibility, the seahorse is preyed upon by a variety of predators in its natural habitat.
The seahorse is preyed upon by a variety of crustaceans, including crabs, fish, and rays. Seahorses have also been identified in the stomachs of predator fish such as bluefin tuna.
Humans, on the other hand, are the biggest threat to the seahorse, who collect it for medical purposes. Seahorses are also vulnerable to inclement weather, as they are frequently flung from the area they were clinging to and onto the shore during storms.
The IUCN has classified two seahorse species as Endangered and 12 as Vulnerable as of late 2020. Habitat loss and their usage in traditional Chinese medicine are the two most serious risks to the species.
Many species have seen their numbers drop in recent decades due to the destruction of coral reefs and seabeds that contain seahorses. Significant habitat degradation was identified to be the principal contributing reason to population decreases in a study of the white’s seahorse.
Furthermore, traditional Eastern medicine, which spans multiple nations, holds dried seahorses in high regard for their alleged advantages in the treatment of impotence and other medical conditions.
Although there is no scientific evidence to support these beliefs, dried seahorse sells for roughly the same amount as gold in several Asian marketplaces. Many species, including pygmy seahorses, have been harmed by overfishing for traditional medicine.
Seahorse Appearance
Seahorses are among the world’s most unusual-looking creatures. Their head looks like a horse’s, they have a pouch like a kangaroo, and their tail is prehensile like just a monkey’s for grasping stuff.
In addition, their bodies are coated in bony plates, and they have small “wings” (dorsal fins) that guide them through the water slowly and awkwardly. Seahorses are specialists in camouflage. Different species’ colours and patterns closely resemble their surroundings, allowing them to hide from predators.
The pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) has so good camouflage that it was found in 1970 when a coral colony was harvested for an aquarium and it was subsequently discovered that there was a new seahorse species on the coral!
On the other end of the scale, the big-bellied seahorse is the world’s biggest seahorse species, reaching about 14 inches in length. Seahorses move with the help of their dorsal fins, which look like little “wings” on their backs.
However, their movement is incredibly sluggish, and the dwarf seahorse is the world’s slowest fish, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Seahorses will use their prehensile tail to hold items during storms and bad weather to avoid being blown about by the waves.
The snout of a seahorse is generally long and narrow, allowing them to suck tiny crustaceans and other food off coral and other marine plants. They don’t chew since their jaws are glued together.
Seahorse Reproduction and Lifespan
The male seahorse is the one that really carries the eggs before they hatch, which is a fascinating tidbit about the sea horse. In most other animal species, the female is the one that looks after the young until they are born.
However, the female seahorse deposits her eggs (which can range from 5 to over 1,000 eggs based on the species) in the male’s brooding pouch, where they will remain until they hatch 3 to 6 weeks later.
Seahorse babies will cling to items after birth, but they are particularly vulnerable to predators. In general, only a small fraction of seahorse babies (known as “fry”) survive.
This varies by species, although it can be as low as 1% in some cases. Males and females of many seahorse species are monogamous, signifying they will mate for life. Seahorse species are also known for their elaborate courting rituals that may continue for hours or even days.
A synchronised “dance” is used in courtship. Males and females will clasp their prehensile tails and move in unison, switching colours often. This “dance” can last many days, with males and females swimming in the same pattern.
