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Seahorses range in size from 1.5 to 35 cm (0.6 to 13.8 in). [13] They are named for their equine appearance, with bent necks and long snouted heads and a distinctive trunk and tail. Although they are bony fish, they do not have scales, but rather thin skin stretched over a series of bony plates, which are arranged in rings throughout their bodies.
Male seahorses have a specialized ventral brood pouch to carry the embryos, male sea dragons attach the eggs to their tails, and male pipefish may do either, depending on their species. [4] The most fundamental difference between the different lineages of the family Syngnathidae is the location of male brood pouch. [5]
The lined seahorse (Hippocampus erectus), northern seahorse or spotted seahorse, is a species of fish that belongs to the family Syngnathidae. [3] [4] H. erectus is a diurnal species with an approximate length of 15 cm (5.9 inches) and lifespan of one to four years.
Like other seahorses, the tiger tail seahorse has bony plates arranged in rings throughout its body, with this species in particular having 11 trunk rings and 33 to 37 tail rings. The dorsal fin has 17 to 19 rays, while the pectoral fin has 16 to 19 rays. Two spines extend from each cheek, in addition to a prominent spine on the nose.
Like other seahorses, the dwarf seahorse has a head angled at right angles to its body and swims upright using its dorsal fin to propel it and its pectoral fins to steer. It grows to an average length of 2 and 2.5 cm (0.8 and 1.0 in), with a maximum length of 5.0 cm (2.0 in).
They have a prominent spine above each eye. They have snouts that are short and upturned. [9] Their snouts are about 1/3 of the length of their head. [10] Their dorsal fin has 16–18 rays with a dark stripe that runs parallel to the margin and provides propulsion. Their pectoral fins have 13–15 rays and are located below the gill openings.
Adult seahorses eat 30 to 50 times a day if food is available; due to their slow consumption they must feed constantly to survive. [20] Big-belly seahorses do not have a stomach or teeth, so they feed by sucking small invertebrates in through their bony tubular snouts with a flick of their head. Their snouts can expand if the prey is larger ...
Gestation lasts a few weeks, then males will release the eggs without caring for them. Generally, males are ready to breed again almost immediately after giving birth. Though little is known about the great seahorse's specific breeding habits, many related seahorses have been studied and were found to occasionally be monogamous.