New Caledonian thorny seahorse (Hippocampus curvicuspis)

Scientific name: Hippocampus curvicuspis Fricke, 2004

New Caledonian thorny seahorse (Hippocampus curvicuspis)

The New Caledonian thorny seahorse (Hippocampus curvicuspis) is a marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. Native range: Western Pacific, New Caledonia.

Biology

Dorsal soft rays (total): 17. This large spiny seahorse is distinguished by the having 17 dorsal fin rays; 17-18 pectoral fin rays; 11 trunk rings; 35-37 tail rings; subdorsal spines 3/0,1,0; moderately large nose spine, height about equal to pupil diameter; double spine above eyes which are moderately long, shorter than eye diameter; single lateral head spine; raised coronet with 4 large spines; restricted gill openings, not close together near the neck ridge; shoulder rings not confluent over neck ridge, not forming continuous collar; the upper shoulder ring spine opposite 11th pectoral fin ray; trunk and tail ridges with many large, curved spines; snout length approximately 57% of head length.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Hippocampus curvicuspis
Family
Syngnathidae (Pipefishes and seahorses)
Order
Syngnathiformes (Pipefishes and Seahorses)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
9.76
Depth range
6 m (20 ft)
Environment
Marine; demersal; depth range 6 - ? m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Western Pacific: New Caledonia.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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