Pygmy Seahorses on The Great Barrier Reef
There are currently 9 species of pygmy seahorses known in the world.
The James Cook University scientists believe they have discovered a new species of Pygmy Seahorse on The Great Barrier Reef. It was discovered while they where searching 100 metres beneath the surface 200 km from Cairns. At 5mm long, the Pygmy seahorse could be the world's smallest vertebrate.
Seahorses are truly unique, and not just because of their unusual horse-like shape. Unlike most other fish, they are monogamous and mate for life. Rarer still, they are among the only animal species in the world where the male bears the unborn babies. He carries the eggs in his pouch until they hatch; then he releases fully formed, miniature seahorses into the water. Male seahorses are equipped with a brood pouch on their front which is like our belly.
They anchor themselves with their prehensile tails to sea grasses and corals, using their elongated snouts to suck in plankton and small crustaceans that drift by. Voracious eaters, they graze continually and can consume 3,000 or more brine shrimp per day.
Because of their body shape, seahorses are rather inept swimmers and can easily die of exhaustion when caught in stormy seas. They propel themselves by using a small fin on their back that flutters up to 35 times per second. Even smaller pectoral fins, which are located near the back of the head, are used for steering.
Like chameleons, seahorse eyes can move independently of each other. Adults live one to three years and only a few eggs out of a brood of up to 2000 survive when released from their father’s pouch.
The James Cook University scientists believe they have discovered a new species of Pygmy Seahorse on The Great Barrier Reef. It was discovered while they where searching 100 metres beneath the surface 200 km from Cairns. At 5mm long, the Pygmy seahorse could be the world's smallest vertebrate.
Seahorses are truly unique, and not just because of their unusual horse-like shape. Unlike most other fish, they are monogamous and mate for life. Rarer still, they are among the only animal species in the world where the male bears the unborn babies. He carries the eggs in his pouch until they hatch; then he releases fully formed, miniature seahorses into the water. Male seahorses are equipped with a brood pouch on their front which is like our belly.
They anchor themselves with their prehensile tails to sea grasses and corals, using their elongated snouts to suck in plankton and small crustaceans that drift by. Voracious eaters, they graze continually and can consume 3,000 or more brine shrimp per day.
Because of their body shape, seahorses are rather inept swimmers and can easily die of exhaustion when caught in stormy seas. They propel themselves by using a small fin on their back that flutters up to 35 times per second. Even smaller pectoral fins, which are located near the back of the head, are used for steering.
Like chameleons, seahorse eyes can move independently of each other. Adults live one to three years and only a few eggs out of a brood of up to 2000 survive when released from their father’s pouch.