Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Syngnathiformes (Pipefishes and seahorses) > Syngnathidae (Pipefishes and seahorses) > Syngnathinae
Etymology: Hippocampus: Greek, ippos = horse + Greek,kampe = curvature (Ref. 45335).
More on authors: Jordan & Gilbert.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; demersal; non-migratory; depth range 0 - 10 m (Ref. 52034). Subtropical; 33°N - 17°N, 99°W - 64°W

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Western Atlantic: Bermuda, southern Florida (USA), Bahamas and the entire Gulf of Mexico.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m 2.1 range ? - ? cm
Max length : 5.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251); max. reported age: 1.00 years (Ref. 12238)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12.

Shallow grass flats, especially in association with Zostera and other seagrass; periodically found in floating vegetation. Diurnal, males more site faithful than females. Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205). The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail (Ref. 205). Specimens lose their skin filaments in aquaria (Ref. 30915). Has been reared in captivity (Ref. 35420). Maximum depth reported taken from Ref. 128812.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Monogamous mating is observed as both obligate and genetic (Ref. 52884). Male carries the eggs in a brood pouch (Ref. 205). Female transfers all the eggs in the ovary to the brood pouch of the male (Ref. 1284).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Lourie, S.A., R.A. Pollom and S.J. Foster, 2016. A global revision of the seahorses Hippocampus Rafinesque 1810 (Actinopterygii: Syngnathiformes): taxonomy and biogeography with recommendations for further research. Zootaxa 4146(1):1-66. (Ref. 115213)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 03 October 2016

CITES

Appendix II: International trade monitored

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
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Ecology
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Life cycle
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Anatomy
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References
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Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 23.4 - 27.8, mean 26.6 °C (based on 229 cells).

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00447 (0.00175 - 0.01142), b=2.99 (2.77 - 3.21), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.2 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=0.4; tmax=1; assuming Fec=100 (approx. 3 generations/year)).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Hippocampus zosterae Jordan & Gilbert, 1882