Short snouted seahorse (Hippocampus hippocampus)

Scientific name: Hippocampus hippocampus Linnaeus, 1758

Short snouted seahorse (Hippocampus hippocampus)

The Short snouted seahorse (Hippocampus hippocampus) is a marine fish of the family Syngnathidae.

Biology

Occurs mostly in shallow inshore waters among algae. May over-winter in deeper water. Feeds on small prey and organic debris. It mimics the green or yellow coloration of plants allowing it to hide among the vegetation. Ovoviviparous. As with all seahorses, the incubation of the eggs takes place in a marsupial pouch found in front of the tail of the males. Has been reared in captivity.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Hippocampus hippocampus
Family
Syngnathidae (Pipefishes and seahorses)
Order
Syngnathiformes (Pipefishes and Seahorses)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
15.0
Depth range
60 m (197 ft)
Environment
Marine; demersal; non-migratory; depth range ? - 60 m
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Eastern Atlantic: Wadden Sea southward to the Gulf of Guinea, Canary Islands and along the African coast to Guinea. Also in the Mediterranean. 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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