Animal Species:Common Seahorse, Hippocampus taeniopterus Bleeker, 1852

As adults they are usually seen in pairs and can be found amongst the seagrass beds.

A preserved Common Seahorse

A preserved Common Seahorse
Kerryn Parkinson © Kerryn Parkinson

Identification

Female Common Seahorses are usually yellow with a few large dark spots. Males are grey to brown with striations on the head and fine dark spots on the trunk.

The Common Seahorse is listed in many references as H. kuda.

Size range

Common Seahorses grow to 22 cm in height.

Distribution

The species occurs in tropical marine waters of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia.

In Australia it is known from near Darwin, Northern Territory and northern to southern Queensland.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Hippocampus taeniopterus

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Common Seahorse specimens in the Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Habitat

It is found in seagrass beds.

Other behaviours and adaptations

This species usually occurs in pairs.

Classification

Species:
taeniopterus
Genus:
Hippocampus
Family:
Syngnathidae
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  2. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  3. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  4. Kuiter, R.H. 2001. Revision of the Australian Seahorses of the Genus Hippocampus (Syngnathiformes: Syngnathidae) with Descriptions of Nine New Species. Records of the Australian Museum. 53: 293-340.
  5. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Seahorses, Pipefishes and their Relatives. A Comprehensive Guide to Syngnathiformes. TMC Publishing Pp. 240.
  6. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags fish, ichthyology, Common Seahorse, Hippocampus taeniopterus, weed, seaweed, kelp, ecklonia, yellow, < 10 cm, 10 cm - 30 cm, tropical, marine, adult,