Seahorse
A seahorse is any type of small fish in the ocean that is in the genus Hippocampus.
Kingdom of Animals
Chordata is a phylum.
Type of Actinopterygii
List of Syngnathiformes
Syngnathidae is a family.
Hippocampinae are a subfamily.
Type: Hippocampus
They come in at least 47 different kinds. This number may change, though, as more study is done.
How big and heavy
Different kinds of seahorses come in different sizes. Large Australian big-bellied seahorses can grow to be at least 11.8 inches tall, while the very small pygmy seahorses are less than an inch tall. Most seahorses weigh between 7 ounces and 1 pound, but this depends on the species, age, and state of reproduction.
How they look
Seahorses look like a mix of different animals because they have a horse-like head, a monkey-like tail, and a kangaroo-like mouth. Men are the only ones with a brood pouch. In the same way that chameleon eyes can move in different directions, these eyes can move on their own. Like chameleons, seahorses are great at hiding because they can change color and make skin filaments that help them fit in. It is also known that they change colors to show affection and talk to each other.
There are no scales on seahorses like there are on most fish. Their skin is made up of hard, bony plates that are joined together and covered in flesh. The group of spines that looks like a crown on top of their head is called a coronet. They have pectoral fins on both sides of their heads that help them stay stable and steer while they swim. Even so, seahorses aren’t very good at swimming. The thing that moves them is their dorsal fin, which beats 30 to 70 times per second.
Food Plan
Most of the time, seahorses eat amphipods and other small crabs and invertebrates. Adult seahorses can eat 30 to 50 times a day if they can find food. They don’t have a stomach or teeth, so they catch their food through a tubular snout or a fused jaw and digest it in a way that isn’t very good.
Land Use
When they’re not swimming, seahorses like to hang out in shallow temperate and tropical waters near seagrass beds, mangrove roots, and coral reefs. Because they can live in a wide range of salinities, some species can also be found in marshes. Some types of seahorses move to deeper water in the winter to get away from the rough weather.
Breeding
People used to think that seahorses mate for life, but new study shows that they only bond with each other for a few months, usually when it’s time to mate. They make their bond stronger by putting on a complicated mating show that often includes changing color. The female animal goes into the male’s area, and as they get closer, they both change color. The male then goes around the female, and they often do this while spiraling around something. The female goes back to her area when the show is over.
When they are mating, the female gives the male her eggs, and the male fertilizes them in his pouch. For small species, the number of eggs can be as few as 50 or as many as over 1,500 for bigger species. The eggs get all the food and air they need inside the male’s pouch. The pregnancy lasts between 14 days and 4 weeks, and the birthing process can last up to 12 hours.
Lifespan
We don’t know how long wild seahorses live because we don’t have enough information. The smallest species of seahorse can live for about a year in captivity, while the largest species can live for three to five years.
Threats
People hunt seahorses for their fur, to use as medicine, as gifts, and as pets. Many kinds of medicines use them, and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Trade alone takes more than 150 million seahorses from the wild every year. About a million seahorses are also taken from the wild by the Curio Trade and sold as gifts. Another million seahorses are taken from the wild for the pet trade every year, but many of them won’t make it past six weeks. Seahorses are also in danger from being caught in nets, losing their environment, and climate change. Seahorses are losing their homes because coral reefs and seaweed beds are breaking down.
