Sea pony (Hippocampus fuscus)

Scientific name: Hippocampus fuscus R?ppell, 1838

Sea pony (Hippocampus fuscus)

The Sea pony (Hippocampus fuscus) is a marine fish of the family Syngnathidae.

Biology

Length type refers to height (= TL - head length). Occurs in eelgrass beds (Zostera sp.) in lagoons. Used in India for traditional medicines. Diurnal. Adults pair-bond and greet on daily basis in the laboratory. Ovoviviparous. The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Hippocampus fuscus
Family
Syngnathidae (Pipefishes and seahorses)
Order
Syngnathiformes (Pipefishes and Seahorses)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
14.4
Depth range
0–10 m (0–33 ft)
Environment
Marine; demersal; amphidromous; depth range 0 - 10 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Indian Ocean: Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, and Sri Lanka. Records from South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius and R?union are questionable. International trade is monitored through a licensing system (CITES II, since 5.15.04) and a minimum size of 10 cm applies.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Data deficient (DD)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (tm=0.3-0.4)

Sources

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

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