Seahorse

After much debates over the years, scientists finally that, seahorses are fish. They breathe using gills, have a swim bladder to control their buoyancy, and are classified in the Class Actinopterygii, the bony fish. Seahorses have interlocking plates on the outside of their body, and this covers a spine made of bone. While they have no tail fins, they have 4 other fins - one at the base of the tail, one under the belly and one behind each cheek. Seahorses swim in upright position.

Who am I?

All seahorses belong to the genus Hippocampus in the family Syngnathidae. They share the genus Hippocampus with their close relatives the pipefishes. Seahorses might not look like traditional fishes, but they are true fishes of the class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes).

 

What I Loves to Eat?

The Seahorse eats small crustaceans (e.g. shrimps) and plankton, uses of its extra-long snout to suck food. They do not have a stomach, so food passes through their bodies very quickly, and they need to eat nearly constantly.

 

Where do I Stay?

There are over 80 species of seahorse, and they can be found in shallow tropical and temperate waters throughout the world. Favorite seahorse habitats are coral reefs, sea grasses, and mangrove forests. Seahorses use their prehensile tail to hang out on objects such as seaweed and branching corals.

 

My Identity?

Seahorses are bad swimmers. In fact, they Seahorses prefer to rest in one area, sometimes holding on to the same coral or seaweed for days. They beat their fins very quickly, up to 50 times a second, but they do not move quickly.  They are very maneuverable, however - and able to move up, down, forward or backward.

Many seahorses are monogamous, meaning they mate for life. The male and female have an elaborate, daily courtship ritual, involving a "dance" where they entwine their tails, and may change colors.

Unlike any other species, the males become pregnant.  Females insert her eggs through an oviduct into the male's brood pouch. The male wiggles to get the eggs into position. Once all the eggs are inserted, the male goes to a nearby coral or seaweed and grabs on with his tail to wait out gestation, which may last several weeks.  When it's time to give birth, he'll contort his body in contractions, until the young are born, sometimes over a period of minutes or hours.  Baby seahorses look just like miniature versions of their parents.

Fast Facts

Type: Fish

Diet: Carnivore

Average life span in the wild: 1 to 5 years (estimated)

Size: 0.6 to 14 in (1.5 to 35 cm)

Group Name: Herd

Did you know? Seahorses have no teeth and no stomach. Food passes through their digestive systems so quickly, they must eat almost constantly to stay alive.     

Size relative to a tea cup:  




Video: How does male Seahorse give birth?

àClick the video below for the answer!!