Long-Snouted Seahorse

LONG-SNOUTED SEAHORSE - IUCN Conservation Status: DATA DEFFICIENT

This long-snouted seahorse may be pregnant!

It’s odd to think of seahorses as “fish”, but these ornate creatures are indeed a species of fish. However, unlike a lot of fish, seahorses are not good swimmers. They do have fins and are able to swim, however they rely on the ocean to move them around. They use their tail to grab onto plants and substrate. Seahorses rely on camouflage, so they don’t get preyed upon.

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As this photo shows, sea horses are often found in seagrasses and sargassum. This is an interesting photo for a few reasons. This is the red variation of the long-snouted seahorse. There are other color variations, but I think the red is the most interesting. The seahorse’s face is darkened, which makes its red eyeball stand out. Another reason this is an interesting photo is because I believe this long-snouted seahorse to be pregnant (note the large belly). With seahorses the female provides the eggs to the male. The male seahorses carry, fertilize, and deliver the baby seahorses. Some even deliver up to 1,000 babies at a time.

The long-snouted seahorse is also called the “spiny seahorse”, and you can see why. The fleshy protrusions all over its body enhance its camouflage ability. These seahorses are generally found in shallow water. I believe I took this photo in less than ten feet of water. The photo was taken at Blue Heron Bridge in West Palm Beach, Florida. I recall approaching the seahorse very slowly, at eye level. The tricky part with seahorses is that most are pretty shy. They turn their head away from you. It took a lot of photos to get a “keeper”, but it was well worth it. To me it’s the eye of the long-snouted seahorse that makes this photo.

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Seahorses can be found in shallow water, and because of this they have been exploited by humans. Did you know less than 1% of captured seahorses live longer than six weeks? So, if you are wondering how you can help seahorses, avoid the sale of seahorses as aquarium pets and dried souvenirs. Educate others who may not be aware of how special these creatures are.

The fleshy protrusions enhance its camouflage

Did You Know?

Baby seahorses are called "fry".

Seashorses don't have teeth. They swallow food whole.

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