Dwarf seahorse
📖 Overview
Shallow grass flats, especially in association with Zostera and other seagrass; periodically found in floating vegetation. Diurnal, males more site faithful than females. Ovoviviparous . The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail . Monogamous and always in home-ranging pairs, that is they do not defend an exclusive territory . Specimens lose their skin filaments in aquaria . Has been reared in captivity . Maximum depth reported taken from Ref. 128812.
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12. : other; Cross section: angular.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Dwarf seahorse is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
The dwarf seahorse is a lie-in-wait predator, feeding on living prey, including small crustaceans such as amphipods, small shrimps, other small invertebrates, and fish fry. Once their target is fixed, the hunter stretches towards it and sucks it through its snout. Food progresses through the digestive system rapidly, causing the nutrients to be ill-absorbed. This is the reason seahorses require large amounts of food to survive. These creatures can consume up to 3,000 brine-shrimps per day.
🥚 Reproduction
Monogamous mating is observed as both obligate and genetic . Male carries the eggs in a brood pouch . Female transfers all the eggs in the ovary to the brood pouch of the male .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; demersal; non-migratory ; depth range 0 - 10 m . Subtropical; 33°N - 17°N, 99°W - 64°W
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Lichtenstein's Seahorse · dwarf seahorse · little seahorse · pygmy seahorse |
| 🏳️Catalan | Cavallet de mar pigmeu de l'Atlàntic |
| 🌍CES | koníček Lichtensteinův · koníček zosterový |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Dværgsøhest |
| 🇩🇪German | Florida-Zwergseepferdchen · Zostera-Seepferdchen · Zwergseepferdchen |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Cavalluccio di Lichtenstein · Cavalluccio nano · Ippocampo di Lichtenstein · Ippocampo nano |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | ドワーフシーホース |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Cavalo-marinho-anão |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Caballito de Mar Enano · Caballito de mar · caballito enano · caballito oliváceo |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 小海馬 · 小海马 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hippocampus regulus | Ginsburg | 1933 | Synonym |
| Hippocampus rosamondae | Borodin | 1928 | Synonym |
🦠 Common Diseases
The following diseases are known to affect Dwarf seahorse.
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 15 records indexed .
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