By Samantha Schipani, EOL Intern & Breen Byrnes, EOL Public Information Officer
The genus Hippocampus is made up of nearly 50 species of distinctive marine fish commonly known as the seahorses. They are found worldwide in protected, shallow tropical and temperate waters, especially estuaries, mangrove swamps, coral reefs, and eel grass beds. Seahorses do not have scales, instead have bony plates for protection, and swim slowly in an upright posture. They spend much of their time stationary, using their tails to attach themselves to corals or grasses.
Seahorses are well-known for their paternal care. After several days of courting, the female seahorse deposits somewhere between a dozen and a thousand eggs into the male's egg pouch. The male then incubates the eggs for 1 to 6 weeks, depending on the species. Like almost all other fish species, seahorses do not nurture their young after birth.
Dive in with us and learn about five seahorses you’ll find in the Encyclopedia of Life.1. Lined Seahorse (Hippocampus erectus). The average lifespan for this seahorse is only about four years.
2. Pot-Bellied Seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis). This is one of the largest seahorse species in the ocean, growing up to 35 cm in length.
3. Maned Seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus). The color of the maned seahorse ranges from greenish-yellow to reddish brown, often mimicking the hues of the surrounding environment, providing this small fish with valuable camouflage.
4. Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti). This is one of the smallest seahorse species in the world, typically measuring less than 2 cm in height.
5. Thorny Seahorse (Hippocampus histrix). This seahorse has independently-moving eyes, which enables it to scan the surrounding water for potential prey and only adds to this animal's bizarre appearance.
Want to learn more? Come explore seahorses on the Encyclopedia of Life.