While seahorses look very unique, they are related to other bony fish like cod, tuna and ocean sunfish. Identifying seahorses can sometimes be confusing, because many can be a variety of colors and they are also camouflage artists, capable of changing their color to blend in with their surroundings.
Currently, there are 47 recognized species of seahorses. This article gives a sampling of some of these species, including some most common in the United States. There is basic identification and range information in each description, but if you click on the seahorse name, you'll find a more detailed species profile.What's your favorite seahorse species?
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Big-Bellied Seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis)
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The big-bellied, big-belly or pot-bellied seahorse is a species that lives off Australia and New Zealand. This is the largest seahorse species - it is capable of growing to a length of 14 inches (this length includes its long, prehensile tail). Characteristics used to identify this species are a big belly on the front of their body which is more pronounced in males, a large number of rings (12-13) on their trunk and tail (at least 45 rings), and coloration that includes dark spots on their head, body, tail and dorsal fin and bands of light and dark on their tail.
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Longsnout Seahorse (Hippocampus reidi)
The longsnout seahorse is also known as the slender or Brazilian seahorse. They can grow up to about 7 inches long. Identifying features include a long snout and slender body, a coronet on their head that is low and convoluted, skin that may have brown and white dots or a pale saddle on their back. They have 11 bony rings around their trunk and 31-39 rings on their tail. These seahorses are found in the western North Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina to Brazil and in the Caribbean Sea and Bermuda.
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Pacific Seahorse (Hippocampus ingens)
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Although it's not quite the biggest seahorse, the Pacific seahorse is also known as the giant seahorse. This is a West Coast species - it is found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean from California south to Peru and around the Galapagos Islands. Identifying features of this seahorse are a coronet with five points or sharp edges at its top, a spine above their eye, 11 trunk rings and 38-40 tail rings. Their coloration varies from reddish to yellow, gray or brown, and they may have light and dark markings on their bodies.
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Lined Seahorse (Hippocampus erectus)
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Like many other species, the lined seahorse has a couple other names. It is also called the northern seahorse or the spotted seahorse. They may be found in cooler waters and live in the Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia, Canada to Venezuela. Notable features of this species are a coronet that is ridge- or wedge-shaped that has spines or sharp edges. This short-snouted seahorse has 11 rings around its trunk and 34-39 rings around their tail. They may have fronds projecting from their skin. Their name came from the white lines that sometimes occur along their head and neck. They also may have white dots on their tail and a lighter saddle coloration on their dorsal surface.
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Dwarf Seahorse (Hippocampus zosterae)
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As you could likely guess, dwarf seahorses are small. The maximum length of the dwarf seahorse, also known as the little or pygmy seahorse, isjust under 2 inches. These seahorses live inshallow waters in the western Atlantic Ocean in southern Florida, Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Bahamas. Identifying characteristics of dwarf seahorses include a high, knob- or column-like coronet, mottled skin that is covered in tiny warts, and sometimes filaments extending from their head and body. They have 9-10 rings around their trunk and 31-32 around their tail.
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Common Pygmy Seahorse (Bargibant's Seahorse, Hippocampus bargibanti)
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The tiny common pygmy seahorse or Bargibant's seahorse is even smaller than the dwarf seahose. Common pygmy seahorses grow to less than an inch in length. They blend in well with their favorite surroundings - soft gorgonian corals. These seahorses live off Australia, New Caledonia, Indonesia, Japan, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. Identifying features include an extremely short, almost pug-like snout, a rounded, knob-like coronet, the presence of large tubercles on their body, and a very short dorsal fin. They have 11-12 trunk rings and 31-33 tail rings, but the rings are not very noticeable.
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Seadragons
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Seadragons are Australian natives. These animals are in the same family as seahorses (Syngnathidae) and share some characteristics, including a fusedjaw and tubelike snout, slow swimming speed and ability to change color to camouflage. There are two types of seadragons - weedy or common seadragons and leafy seadragons.
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Based on the information provided, it seems that the search results are from an article discussing various species of seahorses and seadragons. The article provides descriptions and identification features for each species, as well as their range and habitat. It also mentions that seahorses are related to other bony fish like cod, tuna, and ocean sunfish. The article highlights the unique characteristics of seahorses, such as their ability to change color and blend in with their surroundings.
Now, let's dive into the details of each seahorse species mentioned in the article:
Big-Bellied Seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis)
The big-bellied seahorse is the largest seahorse species, capable of growing up to 14 inches in length. It is found off the coasts of Australia and New Zealand. Key identification features of this species include a big belly on the front of their body, which is more pronounced in males, a large number of rings (12-13) on their trunk and tail, and coloration that includes dark spots on their head, body, tail, and dorsal fin, as well as bands of light and dark on their tail [[1]].
Longsnout Seahorse (Hippocampus reidi)
The longsnout seahorse, also known as the slender or Brazilian seahorse, can grow up to about 7 inches long. It is found in the western North Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina to Brazil, as well as in the Caribbean Sea and Bermuda. This species is characterized by its long snout and slender body, a low and convoluted coronet on their head, and skin that may have brown and white dots or a pale saddle on their back. They have 11 bony rings around their trunk and 31-39 rings on their tail [[2]].
Pacific Seahorse (Hippocampus ingens)
The Pacific seahorse, also known as the giant seahorse, is found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean from California south to Peru and around the Galapagos Islands. Although not the largest seahorse species, it is still considered a giant seahorse. Key identification features of this species include a coronet with five points or sharp edges at its top, a spine above their eye, 11 trunk rings, and 38-40 tail rings. Their coloration can vary from reddish to yellow, gray, or brown, and they may have light and dark markings on their bodies [[3]].
Lined Seahorse (Hippocampus erectus)
The lined seahorse, also known as the northern seahorse or spotted seahorse, can be found in the Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia, Canada to Venezuela. Notable features of this species include a ridge- or wedge-shaped coronet with spines or sharp edges, 11 rings around its trunk, and 34-39 rings around its tail. They may have fronds projecting from their skin, and their name comes from the white lines that sometimes occur along their head and neck. They may also have white dots on their tail and a lighter saddle coloration on their dorsal surface [[4]].
Dwarf Seahorse (Hippocampus zosterae)
The dwarf seahorse, also known as the little or pygmy seahorse, is one of the smallest seahorse species, with a maximum length of just under 2 inches. They inhabit shallow waters in the western Atlantic Ocean, including southern Florida, Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Bahamas. Key identification characteristics of dwarf seahorses include a high, knob- or column-like coronet, mottled skin covered in tiny warts, and sometimes filaments extending from their head and body. They have 9-10 rings around their trunk and 31-32 rings around their tail [[5]].
Common Pygmy Seahorse (Bargibant's Seahorse, Hippocampus bargibanti)
The common pygmy seahorse, also known as Bargibant's seahorse, is even smaller than the dwarf seahorse, growing to less than an inch in length. They are known for their ability to blend in with soft gorgonian corals. These seahorses are found off the coasts of Australia, New Caledonia, Indonesia, Japan, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines. Key identification features include an extremely short, almost pug-like snout, a rounded, knob-like coronet, the presence of large tubercles on their body, and a very short dorsal fin. They have 11-12 trunk rings and 31-33 tail rings, although the rings are not very noticeable [[6]].
Seadragons
Seadragons are Australian natives and belong to the same family as seahorses (Syngnathidae). They share some characteristics with seahorses, including a fused jaw and tubelike snout, slow swimming speed, and the ability to change color for camouflage. There are two types of seadragons mentioned in the article: weedy or common seadragons and leafy seadragons [[7]].
I hope this information helps you learn more about the different species of seahorses and seadragons! Let me know if you have any more questions.
