Long-snouted seahorse

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Long-snouted seahorse
LongSnoutedSeahorse1600ppx.jpg
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Syngnathiformes
Family: Syngnathidae
Genus: Hippocampus
Species:
H. guttulatus
Binomial name
Hippocampus guttulatus
(G. Cuvier, 1829)
Synonyms [3]
  • Hippocampus longirostris Schinz, 1822
  • Hippocampus ramulosus Leach, 1814
  • Hippocampus bicuspis Kaup, 1856
  • Hippocampus filamentosus Duméril, 1870

Hippocampus guttulatus, commonly known as the long-snouted seahorse and in Great Britain as the spiny seahorse, [4] is a marine fish belonging to the family Syngnathidae, native from the northeast Atlantic, including the Mediterranean.

Contents

Synonyms

H. hippocampus microstephanus Slastenenko 1937; H. hippocampus microcoronatus Slastenenko 1938; H. guttulatus multiannularis Ginsburg 1937; H biscuspis Kaup 1856.

Description

The long-snouted seahorse is a small-sized fish that can reach a maximum length of 21.5 cm (8+1⁄2 in), but the average size is more or less 12 cm (5 in). [5] [6] The body is slender, the snout is long and the tail is prehensile. Its head and dorsal ridge have often some more or less long and numerous dermal filaments which can be simple or bifid. Its color ranges from dark green to different variants of brown to yellow, and the body is often speckled with small white dots. [7]

Distribution and habitat

The long-snouted seahorse is widespread throughout the temperate waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean from the south coast of the United Kingdom to the Netherlands and south to Morocco, including the Canary Islands, the Azores and Madeira, and the Mediterranean Sea. [6] [8] [9] [1]

The longsnout seahorse ranges from black to yellow, red, orange and brown with multiple white dots usually on the tail.

This seahorse likes shallow coastal waters from 1 to 20 m (3 to 66 ft) deep. [10] It occurs close by Posidonia and eelgrass meadows or in mixed habitat with sandy bottom and rocks with algae. [6] [11] [10]

Biology

The long-snouted seahorse has a carnivorous diet and feeds on small crustaceans, larvae, fish eggs and other planktonic organisms. [6] It is ovoviviparous and it is the male who broods the eggs in its ventral brood pouch. The latter includes villi rich in capillaries that surround each fertilized egg, creating a sort of placenta supplying the embryos. When fully grown, the young, called fry, will be expelled from the pocket and mature in complete autonomy. Many seahorse species are monogamous as mating occurs between the same two partners in one breeding season. However, the mating habits for H. guttulatus are unknown. [12] An interesting aspect of seahorse coloration is the ability to rapidly transform color patterns to blend with their immediate surroundings. They swim upright and avoid predators by mimicking the colour of underwater plants.

Conservation status

The long-snouted seahorse is relatively rare, and limited data exist on its population and about the volume and the impact of trade for traditional Chinese medicine and for the aquarium. The species is therefore considered as "Data Deficient" on the IUCN Red List. [13] [1] Internationally, it is also listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This means that it is on the list of species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but for which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival. [1] [14] A haven for this species was set up in Studland Bay, Devon, England. It was designated as a Marine Conservation Zone in 2019. [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seahorse</span> Genus of bony fishes

A seahorse is any of 46 species of small marine bony 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.

<i>Hippocampus bargibanti</i> Species of fish

Hippocampus bargibanti, also known as Bargibant's seahorse or the pygmy seahorse, is a seahorse of the family Syngnathidae found in the central Indo-Pacific area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narrow-bellied seahorse</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbour's seahorse</span> Species of fish

Barbour's seahorse is a species of fish of the family Syngnathidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knobby seahorse</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giraffe seahorse</span> Species of fish

The giraffe seahorse is a species of fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is found in coastal waters off of the south and east coasts of Africa, from South Africa to Tanzania, and possibly north to Kenya. It lives in estuarine seagrass beds, algae beds, and shallow reefs to depths of 45 metres (148 ft), where it can grow to lengths of 10 centimetres (3.9 in). 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. Individuals are sexually mature at around 6.5 centimetres (2.6 in). Major threats to this species could be habitat loss, through coastal development and pollution, and overexploitation through bycatch. Some other threats include human use by drying out the seahorse for traditional medicine or as a curio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crowned seahorse</span> Species of fish

Hippocampus coronatus, commonly known as the high-crowned seahorse or crowned seahorse, is a species of fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is endemic to the Pacific coastal waters of Japan, where it lives among Zostera seagrasses. It can grow to lengths of 10.8 centimetres (4.3 in), but is more commonly 6 centimetres (2.4 in). Individuals feed mainly on small crustaceans such as gammarid amphipods and copepods, although this can vary by size, with smaller individuals consuming copepods while larger individuals feed on amphipods and mysids. This species is ovoviviparous, with males brooding eggs in a brood pouch before giving birth to live young. Breeding season occurs from June to November, with females and males reaching sexual maturity at 6.9 centimetres (2.7 in) and 7.3 centimetres (2.9 in) respectively. Male brood size ranges from 12–46. The International trade in this species has been monitored through Appendix II of the CITES licensing system since 2004 and a minimum size of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) applies to traded specimens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denise's pygmy seahorse</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fisher's seahorse</span> Species of fish

Hippocampus fisheri, commonly known as Fisher's seahorse, or the Hawaiian seahorse, is a species of fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is known from the Hawaiian Islands, although previous misidentifications indicated species occurrences in Australia and New Caledonia. Habitat preferences are unknown, but it has been found far away from shore and at depths greater than 100 metres (330 ft). Feeding habits are also unknown, but individuals are expected to feed on small crustaceans similar to other seahorses. Hippocampus fisheri is one out of the three species of Hippocampus genus found in the Hawaiian islands. They are also expected to be ovoviviparous, with males carrying eggs in a brood pouch before giving birth to live young. Individuals can grow to lengths of 8 centimetres (3.1 in). The specific name and the common name honour "Walter V. Fisher” of Stanford University. There was a Walter Kenrick Fisher who was Jordan and Evermann's colleague at Stanford and the “V” is assumed to be a typo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jayakar's seahorse</span> Species of fish

Jayakar's seahorse is a species of coastal fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is found in the Western Indian Ocean, from the Red and Arabian seas to the central coast of Pakistan. It lives in seagrass beds, algae, soft-bottom substrates, sponges, and rocky habitats, where it can grow to lengths of 14 centimetres (5.5 in). It can inhabit depths to 20 metres (66 ft), though it is more commonly found at 2–3 metres (6.6–9.8 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. Individuals reach sexual maturity at 11 centimetres (4.3 in). The specific name and the common name honours the Indian physician, linguist and ichthyologist Dr. Surgeon-Major Atmaram Sadashiv "Muscati" Jayakar (1844–1911).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hedgehog seahorse</span> Species of fish

The hedgehog seahorse is a species of fish of the family Syngnathidae. It inhabits coastal waters from India and Sri Lanka to Taiwan and northern Australia. It is threatened by overfishing, as both targeted catch and bycatch. This species is ovoviviparous, with males carrying eggs in a brood pouch before giving birth to live young.

The false-eye seahorse, or flatface seahorse is a species of marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is endemic to Australia, from Shark Bay to Broome, where it is found in intertidal rockpools, shallow algae and weedy or rubble reef habitats. It is expected to feed on harpacticoid, calanoid, and cyclopoid copepods, caridean and gammaridean shrimps, and mysids, similar to other seahorses. This species is ovoviviparous, with males brooding eggs in a brood pouch before giving birth to live young.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Holland seahorse</span> Species of fish

Hippocampus whitei, commonly known as White's seahorse, New Holland seahorse, or Sydney seahorse, is a species of marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is thought to be endemic to the Southwest Pacific, from Sydney, New South Wales and southern Queensland (Australia) to the Solomon Islands. It lives in shallow, inshore habitats, both natural and anthropogenic. This species is ovoviviparous, with males brooding eggs in a brood pouch before giving birth to live young.

The zebra seahorse is a species of fish in the family Syngnathidae. It is endemic to northern Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Short-snouted seahorse</span> Species of fish

The short-snouted seahorse is a species of seahorse in the family Syngnathidae. It is 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spiny seahorse</span> Species of fish

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.

<i>Hippocampus colemani</i> Species of fish

Coleman's pygmy seahorse is a species of fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is found off of the coast of Lord Howe Island, Australia, although unconfirmed occurrences have been reported from Milne Bay and the Ryukyu Islands. It lives in coarse sand and Zostera and Halophila sea grasses at depths around 5 metres (16 ft). It is expected to feed on small crustaceans, similar to other seahorses. Ovoviviparous reproduction is also expected, with males brooding eggs in a pouch before giving birth to live young.

<i>Hippocampus pontohi</i> Species of fish

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.

Hippocampus debelius, commonly known as the softcoral seahorse, is a species of marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is known from only two specimens collected from the Gulf of Suez in the Red Sea, at depths of 15–30 metres (49–98 ft). Individuals were found associated with soft corals. Although little is known of this species, it is expected to feed on crustaceans, similar to other seahorses. It is also expected to be ovoviviparous, with males carrying eggs in a brood pouch before giving birth to live young.

Hippocampus dahli is a fish species of the family Syngnathidae. It is endemic to the Australian northeastern coast, from Darwin to Brisbane, where it inhabits estuarine channels and rubble or soft substrates to depths of 21 metres (69 ft). Little is known of its feeding habits, but it is likely to feed on small crustaceans such as copepods, amphipods, and gammarid, caprellid, and caridean shrimps, similar to other seahorses. This species is ovoviviparous, with males carrying eggs in a brood pouch before giving birth to live young. This species is not listed in FishBase and many authorities treat it as a synonym of Hippocampus trimaculatus.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Pollom, R. (2017). "Hippocampus guttulatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T41006A67617766. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T41006A67617766.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. ↑ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Hippocampus guttulatus". FishBase . February 2018 version.
  4. ↑ "Seahorse Facts". The Seahorse Trust.
  5. ↑ Curtis, J.M.R. and A.C.J. Vincent, 2006. Life history of an unusual marine fish: survival, growth and movement patterns of Hippocampus guttulatus Cuvier 1829. J. Fish Biol. 68:707-733.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Ader, Denis; Barrabes, Michel; Huet, Sylvie (2014). "Hippocampus guttulatus Cuvier, 1829" (in French). DORIS.
  7. ↑ "Hippocampus guttulatus Hippocampe moucheté" (in French). cotebleue. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  8. ↑ Dawson, C.E., 1990. Syngnathidae. p. 658–664. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2.
  9. ↑ Lourie, S.A., S.J. Foster, E.W.T. Cooper and A.C.J. Vincent, 2004. A guide to the identification of seahorses. Project Seahorse and TRAFFIC North America. Washington D.C. (University of British Columbia and World Wildlife Fund): 114 p.
  10. 1 2 Foster, S.J. and A.C.J. Vincent, 2004. Life history and ecology of seahorses: implications for conservation and management. J. Fish Biol. 65:1-61.
  11. ↑ Lelong, P., 1995. Hippocampe moucheté, Hippocampus ramolosus. Océanorama (Institut Océanographique Paul Ricard) No. 24, June 1995, p. 19–20.
  12. ↑ Planas, Miquel; Chamorro, Alexandro; Quintas, Patricia; Vilar, Antonio (1 October 2008). "Establishment and maintenance of threatened long-snouted seahorse, Hippocampus guttulatus, broodstock in captivity". Aquaculture. 283 (1): 19–28. Bibcode:2008Aquac.283...19P. doi:10.1016/j.aquaculture.2008.06.023. hdl: 10261/41495 .
  13. ↑ Pollom, R. (2017). "Hippocampus guttulatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T41006A67617766. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T41006A67617766.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  14. ↑ "Long-snouted Seahorse". CITES. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  15. ↑ Nane Steinhoff. "Safe haven:Protecting Devon's spiny seahorse". Oceanographic Magazine.
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