Journal archives for April 2014

April 8, 2014

April 8th, 2014

Featured observation: Weedy pygmy seahorse by kati-romblon

Our new featured observation comes to us from kati-romblon, who snapped this great pic of the weedy pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus pontohi) in Romblon, Phillipines. kati-romblon is looking like a rather proliferate user, having posted 12 observations of 5 species already!

The weedy pygmy seahorse is a species that inhabits algae and soft corals among the Indo-Pacific islands. Being one of the smallest species, it grows only to a maximum of 1.4 centimetres and so is very tough to spot in the water.

As a result of its small stature and cryptic nature, the species was only discovered in 2008. Scientists do not currently have enough information to know how well the species is doing, and so it is listed as ‘Data Deficient’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Observations like these will help us to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the weedy pygmy seahorse, thereby enabling us to protect it and its ocean home.

Thanks for the observation kati-romblon!

Posted on April 8, 2014 09:29 PM by projectseahorse projectseahorse | 0 comments | Leave a comment

April 30, 2014

Featured observation: Slender seahorse by kbodle

This week’s feature observation takes us to the sunny southern Caribbean. kbodle managed to snag this great pic of the slender seahorse, Hippocampus reidi in the coastal waters of Bonaire, an island nation off the Venezuelan coast.

The slender seahorse is a fairly large species, growing to a height of about 17cm. It ranges from North Carolina in the USA all the way to Brazil in South America. Pictured in association with a sponge here, these seahorses have also been known to hang out around gorgonian corals, seagrasses, mangroves and seaweed. They typically form monogamous pair bonds with their mate.

The IUCN Red List describes the slender seahorse as being Data Deficient, so there is much left to be learned about the species.

Thanks to kbodle for helping us to further our knowledge of this interesting fish!

Posted on April 30, 2014 06:58 PM by projectseahorse projectseahorse | 0 comments | Leave a comment