Pi239, Pi273 and Pi240 Hippocampus (Sea Horse)

Pi239, Pi273 and Pi240                              Hippocampus (Sea Horse)

 

Phylum   : Chordata

Class       : Actinopterygii  

Order      : Syngnathiformes

Family    : Syngnathidae

Genus     : Hipppocampus

 

 

Description

Habitats:  Marine; brackish; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 0 - 68 m. They swim upright swaying their tails and gyrating their trunks in graceful manner, holding a weed with their tails.

 

Distribution: Hippocampus has cosmopolitan distribution, found in almost all warm sea waters, especially in India, Japan, China and Malaysian Archipelago. Cretaceous to Recent. It is represented by several species in the Indian Ocean.

Morphology: Commonly called as sea-horse because its anterior end is shaped like the neck and head of a horse. Body is divided into head, trunk and tail. Size varies from 5 to 17 cm. Head is produced anteriorly into tubular snout and backwardly into a crest. Mouth is found at the end of snout. Eyes are situated on the upper side of head. There are two super orbital spines backwards directed and outwards. Some species have fine trailing filaments over the body. Body is covered by a rigid exoskeletal armour of ring-like bony plates. Gill clefts are reduced to a small opening. Gills are of special type in the form of special tufts and covered by operculum. Dorsal fin is single, ventral and caudal fins are absent. A small transparent pectoral fin is found on either side of head. Females have a small anal fin. Males contain brood pouches, which carry eggs until they hatch. Tail is prehensile.

 

 

IUCN status: Vulnerable