Teleostei (teleosts) >
Syngnathiformes (Pipefishes and seahorses) >
Syngnathidae (Pipefishes and seahorses) > Syngnathinae
Etymology: Hippocampus: Greek, ippos = horse + Greek,kampe = curvature (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 1 - 73 m (Ref. 30915). Subtropical; 10°C - 27°C (Ref. 36630); 50°N - 32°S, 98°W - 32°W (Ref. 52034)
Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia, Canada and northern Gulf of Mexico to Panama and Venezuela (Ref. 30915). Eastern Central Atlantic: possibly in St. Helana (Ref. 5288) and in Ascension I. (Ref. 98447).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 6.3  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 19.0 cm OT male/unsexed; (Ref. 30915); max. reported age: 1.00 years (Ref. 1285)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
Generally in coastal waters; often around man-made structures (Ref. 26938). Usually attached to gorgonians or seagrasses but may occur in floating Sargassum or swimming freely in midwater (Ref. 9710). Those that live in Sargassum usually have bony protuberances and fleshy tabs that may serve as camouflage. Has been reared in captivity (Ref. 35420, 35422). Move into deeper waters during winter (Ref. 36630). Feeds by sucking in small organisms, using its long face as a pipette (Ref. 26938); like small crustaceans (Ref. 27549). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205). The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail (Ref. 205). Length type refers to Height (= from top of coronet to the tip of straightened tail).
Incubates eggs in an external marsupium. Gestation period 20-21 days but varies with water temperature (Ref. 30915).
Lourie, S.A., A.C.J. Vincent and H.J. Hall, 1999. Seahorses: an identification guide to the world's species and their conservation. Project Seahorse, London. 214 p. (Ref. 30915)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 126983)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial
More information
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingNutrientsMass conversion
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