WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Thorny Seahorse

Hippocampus histrix

Also known as: Longsnout Seahorse, Long-snouted Seahorse, Longspine Seahorse, Prickly Seahorse, Spiny Seahorse

VUVulnerableIUCN Red List, 2017
Adult
@fishx6 · Lembeth Resort, Indonesia · June 20061 / 23
01

Overview

Found singly or in pairs, anchored by their tails, over shallow, sheltered reefs, amongst algae and seaweed, over estuaries and seaward reefs, also sometimes offshore, attached to drifting seaweed rafts.
They feed by sucking crustaceans and zooplankton 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

Behaviour
pairssolitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-Pacific
  • Country only · 23
LIVES IN

Found singly or in pairs, anchored by their tails, over shallow, sheltered reefs, amongst algae and seaweed, over estuaries and seaward reefs, also sometimes offshore, attached to drifting seaweed rafts.

04

Adult photos 23

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 histrix Kaup, 1856

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Pipefishes-Seahorses (Syngnathidae)