WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Hedgehog Seahorse

Hippocampus spinosissimus

Also known as: Spiny Seahorse, Thorny Seahorse

VUVulnerableIUCN Red List, 2017
Adult
@fishx6 · Lembeth Resort, Indonesia · June 20061 / 12
01

Overview

Found singly or in pairs, anchored by their tails, over mud and sandy bottoms of the continental shelf, close to coral reefs, also sometimes off-shore attached to drifting seaweed rafts.
They feed on small crustaceans and planktonic invertebrates which they suck whole into their mouths.

Pipefishes and Seahorses are unique in that the male gives birth! The female deposits their eggs after fertilisation into the males pouch to incubate the eggs for one month before giving birth.
They attach to anything they can get their tail around, even each other usually close to the bottom to blend in with their surroundings.
Seahorses are a threatened species because it is sought after for Chinese medicine.

02

How to identify

Pattern
blotches
Behaviour
pairssolitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-Pacific
  • Country only · 12
LIVES IN

Found singly or in pairs, anchored by their tails, over mud and sandy bottoms of the continental shelf, close to coral reefs, also sometimes off-shore attached to drifting seaweed rafts.

04

Adult photos 12

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderSyngnathiformes
    5. familySyngnathidae
    6. genusHippocampus
    7. speciesHippocampus spinosissimus Weber, 1913

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Pipefishes-Seahorses (Syngnathidae)