| Great seahorse | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Syngnathiformes |
| Family: | Syngnathidae |
| Genus: | Hippocampus |
| Species: | H. kelloggi |
| Binomial name | |
| Hippocampus kelloggi D. S. Jordan & Snyder, 1901 | |
The great seahorse (Hippocampus kelloggi), also known as Kellogg's seahorse is a species of fish in the family Syngnathidae. It is one of the largest of the 54 species of seahorse.
It is found in the Indo-pacific region, specifically documented from the coast of East Africa to Japan. It was also recently identified around both northern and southern Australia. They frequent areas with an abundance of coral so they can latch on to something. Though often found in shallow waters, they have been recorded in depths of over 100 meters, with the deepest recorded seahorse at 152 meters below the surface. .
The head of the seahorse resembles a crown. Its spine is very prevalent, but has a rounded shape, especially above its eye. It is often confused for other species, and some great seahorses have even been thought to be an entirely new species, but gene sequencing has disproved this. They can be identified through their abnormally high tail rings on their comparatively slightly longer tails, which account for about 57% of their bodies. It is pale in color and smooth to the touch. They live for two to four years in the wild.
Males breed the eggs in sacks. Gestation lasts a few weeks, then males will release the eggs without caring for them. Generally, males are ready to breed again almost immediately after giving birth. Though little is known about the great seahorse's specific breeding habits, many related seahorses have been studied and were found to occasionally be monogamous. Their mating ritual involves twisting their tails and head nods, until they find a partner. Though the males carry the unborn young, they are also the main competitors for mates, which may have to do with an uneven ratio of males to females in a population.
Because the occurrence of the seahorse spans such a wide area, there is little data available regarding the size of the population, but it has been observed less in recent years, leading scientists to believe that the population is declining. There was a 50-60% decline in population size around Asia. It is generally found alone or in very sparse groups. It is considered vulnerable, which is one classification away from endangerment.
Like many other species of seahorse, the great seahorse is used both medicinally and for aquariums. It's one of the harder types to purchase and care for, as it is large and does not compete well with others for food, often resulting in early death. One of the major reasons the great seahorse is removed from captivity is due to its medicinal effects in China and other east Asian countries. It is said to help with problems such as impotence, and its prevalence on the market has increased in recent years. Aside from personal aquariums and medicine, the great seahorse is also used as a souvenir, often available dried for people to take home. The combination of these three has led the great seahorse to be labeled as vulnerable. [1]
The specific name honours the American entomologist and evolutionary biologist Vernon Lyman Kellogg 1867-1937. [3]
A seahorse is any of 46 species of small marine fish in the genus Hippocampus. "Hippocampus" comes from the Ancient Greek hippókampos (ἱππόκαμπος), itself from híppos (ἵππος) meaning "horse" and kámpos (κάμπος) meaning "sea monster" or "sea animal". Having a head and neck suggestive of a horse, seahorses also feature segmented bony armour, an upright posture and a curled prehensile tail. Along with the pipefishes and seadragons they form the family Syngnathidae.
The Syngnathidae is a family of fish which includes seahorses, pipefishes, and seadragons. The name is derived from Ancient Greek: σύν, meaning "together", and γνάθος, meaning "jaw". The fused jaw is one of the traits that the entire family have in common.
The common seadragon or weedy seadragon is a marine fish related to the seahorses. Adult common seadragons are a reddish colour, with yellow and purple markings; they have small leaf-like appendages that resemble kelp fronds providing camouflage and a number of short spines for protection. Males have narrower bodies and are darker than females. Seadragons have a long dorsal fin along the back and small pectoral fins on either side of the neck, which provide balance. Common seadragons can reach 45 cm (18 in) in length.
The big-belly seahorse or pot-bellied seahorse is one of the largest seahorse species in the world, with a length of up to 35 cm (14 in), and is the largest in Australia. Seahorses are members of the family Syngnathidae, and are teleost fishes. They are found in southeast Australia and New Zealand, and are listed on Appendix II of CITES.
Hippocampus angustus, commonly known as the narrow-bellied seahorse, western Australian seahorse, or western spiny seahorse, is a species of marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is found in waters off of Australia, from Perth to Hervey Bay, and the southern portion of Papua New Guinea in the Torres Strait. It lives over soft-bottom substrates, adjacent to coral reefs, and on soft corals at depths of 3–63 metres (9.8–206.7 ft). It is expected to feed on small crustaceans, similar to other seahorses. This species is ovoviviparous, with males carrying eggs in a brood pouch before giving birth to live young. This type of seahorse is monogamous in its mating patterns. The males only fertilize one female's eggs for the mating season because of the population distribution. While some seahorses can be polygamous because they are denser in population, this type of seahorse is more sparsely distributed and the cost of reproduction is high. Therefore, the risk to reproduce due to predatory and distributary factors limits this breed to one mate, often finding the same mate season after season.
Barbour's seahorse is a species of fish of the family Syngnathidae.
The knobby seahorse, also known as the short-headed seahorse or short-snouted seahorse, is a species of marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. It inhabits coastal waters in southwestern and southeastern Australia, from Gregory to Bremer Bay, and from Denial Bay to Newcastle.
The Knysna seahorse or Cape seahorse is a species of fish in the family Syngnathidae. It is endemic to the south coast of South Africa, where it has been found in only three brackish water habitats: the estuary of the Keurbooms River in Plettenberg Bay, the Knysna Lagoon, and the estuarine portion of the Swartvlei system in Sedgefield. The limited range of this seahorse puts it at great risk of extinction.
Hippocampus denise, also known as Denise's pygmy seahorse or the yellow pygmy seahorse, is a seahorse of the family Syngnathidae native to the western Pacific.
Hippocampus guttulatus, commonly known as the long-snouted seahorse and in Great Britain as the spiny seahorse, is a marine fish belonging to the family Syngnathidae, native from the northeast Atlantic, including the Mediterranean.
The Pacific seahorse, also known as the giant seahorse, is a species of fish in the family Syngnathidae. Their genus name (Hippocampus) is derived from the Greek word hippos, which means "horse" and campus, which means "sea monster." This species is the only seahorse species found in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Hippocampus kuda is a species of seahorse, also known as the common seahorse, estuary seahorse, yellow seahorse or spotted seahorse. The common name sea pony has been used for populations formerly treated as the separate species Hippocampus fuscus, now a synonym of H. kuda.
The slender seahorse or longsnout seahorse is a species of fish in the family Syngnathidae that usually inhabits subtropical regions.
The tiger snout seahorse or West Australian seahorse, is a species of fish in the family Syngnathidae. It is endemic to south-western Australia, where it occurs from the Abrolhos Islands to Rockingham. Its natural habitats are the edges of rocky areas, muddy bottoms and areas with murky water caused by high sediment load, around jetty pilings and moorings; it is often associated with sponges or sea squirts and frequently attaches itself to man-made objects. In the winter they move to deeper water.
The dwarf seahorse is a species of seahorse found in the subtidal aquatic beds of the Bahamas and parts of the United States. It is threatened by habitat loss. According to Guinness World Records, it is the slowest-moving fish, with a top speed of about 5 feet (1.5 m) per hour.
The short-snouted seahorse is a species of seahorse in the family Syngnathidae. It was endemic to the Mediterranean Sea and parts of the North Atlantic, particularly around Italy and the Canary Islands. In 2007, colonies of the species were discovered in the River Thames around London and Southend-on-Sea.
The lined seahorse, northern seahorse or spotted seahorse, is a species of fish that belongs to the family Syngnathidae. H. erectus is a diurnal species with an approximate length of 15 cm and lifespan of one to four years. The H. erectus species can be found in myriad colors, from greys and blacks to reds, greens, and oranges. The lined seahorse lives in the western Atlantic Ocean as far north as Canada and as far south as the Caribbean, Mexico, and Venezuela. It swims in an erect position and uses its dorsal and pectoral fins for guidance while swimming.
The spiny seahorse, also referred to as the thorny seahorse, is a small marine fish in the family Syngnathidae, native to the Indo-Pacific area. It is classified as a Vulnerable species by the IUCN.
Hippocampus pontohi, also known as Pontoh's pygmy seahorse or the weedy pygmy seahorse, is a seahorse of the family Syngnathidae native to the central Indo-pacific. Named after Hentje Pontoh, the Indonesian dive guide from Bunaken (Manado) who first brought these pygmy seahorses to attention.
The Patagonian seahorse is a species of marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. It inhabits coastal waters from northeastern Brazil to Chubut, Argentina. It generally is found at shallow depths attached to natural or artificial substrates. This species is ovoviviparous, with males brooding eggs in a brood pouch before giving birth to live young.
