I was doubting between longsnout and lined seahorse. How do you know this is not the longsnout seahorse?
Lined Seahorse
Hippocampus erectus
Also known as: Horsefish, Northern Seahorse, Oceanic Seahorse, Spotted Seahorse
- Horsefish
- Northern Seahorse
- Oceanic Seahorse
- Spotted Seahorse
Overview
Found singly or in pairs, anchored with their tails to gorgonians and seagrasses, over muddy bottoms, sometimes around man-made structures of coastal reefs.
They feed on zooplankton 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.
How to identify
Habitat & where to find it
- Range · Western Atlantic
- Exact location · 1
- Country only · 9
Found singly or in pairs, anchored with their tails to gorgonians and seagrasses, over muddy bottoms, sometimes around man-made structures of coastal reefs.
Adult photos 10
Discussion 2
Deep dive
More in the family
Pipefishes-Seahorses (Syngnathidae)

Alligator Pipefish
Syngnathoides biaculeatus
1 photo

Banded Pipefish
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Acentronura gracilissima
1 photo

Belly-barred Pipefish
Hippichthys spicifer
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Benedetto's Pipefish
Corythoichthys benedetto
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Bigbelly Seahorse
Hippocampus abdominalis
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Black-breasted Pipefish
Corythoichthys nigripectus
1 photo

Bluestripe Pipefish
Doryrhamphus excisus
1 photo

Brown-banded Pipefish
Corythoichthys amplexus
1 photo

Denise's Pygmy Seahorse
Hippocampus denise
1 photo

Double-ended Pipefish
Trachyrhamphus bicoarctatus
7 photos

Dusky Pipefish
Syngnathus floridae
1 photo