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With a head like a horse, a tail like a monkey, and a bag like a kangaroo, seahorses are truly unique aquatic creatures. There are about 50 species scattered around the world, and they come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. These tiny fish are not particularly talented at swimming, but can use their tail to attach themselves to vegetation when the ocean gets rough. Seahorses are propelled by a small fin on the back and an even smaller fin on the back of the head that controls the steering. Like a chameleon, seahorses can move each eye independently and change their body color to suit their environment. With such a variety of species, it is useful to organize them according to characteristics, for example, according to the maximum observed length. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the 10 largest seahorses in the world!
10. Seahorse with a short nose and seahorse Barbour (up to 15 cm).
At number ten, we have a connection between short-necked (Hippocampus hippocampus) and Barbour seahorses (Hippocampus Barbury), each of which can grow up to 15 cm in length. The short-faced seahorse is found in its preferred habitat in shallow waters, muddy waters, estuaries, or seaweed. They were endemic to the Mediterranean Sea and small parts of the North Atlantic, although a colony was discovered in the River Thames near London, England in 2007. The bodies of short snouts can be black, purple, orange or brown.
The Barbour seahorse is the only species found entirely in Southeast Asia, native to the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. It can be recognized by its striped zebra pattern on its face and bright yellow coloration. Females are slightly smaller than males.
9. Spiny seahorse (up to 17 cm).
Spiny Seahorse (Hippocampus histrix) is relatively rare, but widespread in the Indo-Pacific region. They were registered in Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and Japan. Unlike other species, the spiny seahorse can be found in deeper waters, nearly 100 meters below the surface. The muzzle is very long and pointed compared to the short muzzle and the coloration varies with the environment.
8. Slender seahorse (up to 17.5 cm).
Slender seahorse (Hippocampus raids) was discovered at various ocean depths up to 55 meters below the surface of the water. They are native to many countries including the United States, China, Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Haiti, Jamaica, and Panama. Slender is a subtropical seahorse that is endangered in China and Brazil because of its traditional medicinal and commercial uses. Males are usually bright orange, while females are yellow.
7. Seahorse with a tiger tail (up to 18.7 cm).
Ranked seventh on our list, tiger-tailed seahorses (The hippocampus is advancing) can grow up to almost 19 cm and is found in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. They can be recognized by their alternating yellow and black stripes. The tiger’s tail is nocturnal and lives in the wild for 1 to 5 years.
6. Lined seahorse (up to 19 cm).
Living along the western Atlantic Ocean from Canada to Mexico and Venezuela, the seahorse (Hippocampus erectus) is the only species found in the Chesapeake Bay. It prefers the environment of its cohorts, muddy waters, estuaries and especially the grassy seabed. Lined seahorses have a wide range of colors to match their surroundings and often have white lines outlining the neck area, which is what led to their name. They have been listed as Vulnerable Species by the IUCN since 1996.
5. Seahorse with a long muzzle (up to 21.5 cm).
Inhabitant of shallow water, long-nosed seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus) lives in coastal waters at a depth of 1-20 meters. They inhabit the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. They are usually about 12 cm long, but have reached a maximum length of more than 21 cm. The long-faced seahorse ranges in color from dark green to yellow-brown, with small white dots dotted with its body. This species of seahorse is relatively rare, and there is insufficient data to accurately assess their conservation status.
4. Seahorse with a flat face (up to 22 cm).
This species lives mainly in the shallow seas of Australia and Asia. As its name suggests, the flat-faced seahorse (Hippocampus trimaculatus) usually flat, with spines on the eyes, narrow head and no spines in the nose. The color can be golden orange, sandy or black. Sometimes flat seahorses have brown and white zebra-like stripes.
3. Large seahorse (up to 28 cm).
The third place on our list is occupied by the great seahorse (Kelloggi hippocampus). The large seahorse is difficult to identify because it shares many similarities with other species. However, subtle differences betray him, such as his unusually tall tail-rings on his tails, which occupy almost 60% of his body. The large seahorse is usually paler in color and is native to the Indo-Pacific region with documented sightings from the coast of East Africa to Japan.
2. Pacific seahorse and yellow seahorse (up to 30 cm)
The silver medal for the longest seahorse goes to two types: the Pacific seahorse (huge seahorse) and yellow seahorse (Hippocampus where). As its name suggests, the Pacific seahorse is the only seahorse found in the eastern Pacific. Like other species, the Pacific seahorse comes in several different colors, such as green, brown, burgundy, gray, and yellow. Males can be distinguished from females by the keel, which is a reinforcing ridge at the base of the tail, reminiscent of the keel of a boat.
The yellow seahorse, also known as the common seahorse, is native to the Indo-Pacific and has been sighted off the coast of more than twenty countries. It is one of the most common seahorses to be found in residential aquariums, and it differs from other species because it does not have thorns on its body, but rather low, rounded thorns. Typically, the yellow seahorse averages between 7 and 17 cm, but a maximum length of 30 cm has been observed.
1. Seahorse with a large belly (up to 35 cm).
Big belly seahorse (abdominal hippocampus) is the largest seahorse in the world and can grow to over a foot in length. Not only are they the longest variety of seahorses, but they are also relatively experienced swimmers, unlike the rest of this list. The large belly seahorse, found primarily along the coasts of Australia and New Zealand, has a long snout, an obvious but narrow belly, and a long curled tail. The large belly is brownish-yellow in color with several darker spots, and the tail is often surrounded by yellow stripes. During mating rituals, both male and female are able to change and emphasize certain colors.
Complete list of the largest seahorses in the world
- Short muzzle seahorse
- Spiny seahorse
- Slender seahorse
- Seahorse tiger tail
- Lined seahorse
- Long nose seahorse
- Flat faced seahorse
- Big seahorse
- Pacific seahorse
- Yellow seahorse
- Big belly seahorse
Seahorse Diet and Conservation Issues
All of the seahorse species described in this article are carnivores or omnivores. Due to their relatively inept swimming abilities, they mostly rely on camouflage to catch their prey, which mainly consists of small crustaceans, small shrimp and planktonic organisms. Seahorses have no stomachs or teeth, they instead use their muzzles to suck in their desired prey. Due to their simple digestive system, they have to eat pretty consistently in order to stay alive. Larger crustaceans such as crabs, rays and some fish species are common predators of seahorses.
Conservation data are limited due to the diversity and relative scarcity of many seahorse species. However, the main threats to all seahorses are loss of habitat, overfishing to support traditional medicine practices popular in countries such as China, and commercial prey for use as pets. To this end, twelve more well-known species are listed by the IUCN as Vulnerable, and two as endangered.
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