HIPPOCAMPUS CURVICUSPIS - (FRICKE, 2004)
Actinopteri (Class) > Syngnathiformes (Order) > Syngnathidae (Family) > Hippocampinae (Subfamily) > Hippocampus (Genus)
Hippocampe épineux, New Caledonian thorny seahorse,
Identification
A large spiny seahorse with 17 dorsal fin rays, 17–18 pectoral fin rays, 11 trunk rings, 35–37 tail rings, subdorsal spines 3/0,1,0; nose spine moderately large, height about equal to pupil diameter; double spine above eyes moderately long, shorter than eye diameter; lateral head spine single; coronet raised, with 4 large spines; gill openings restricted, not close together near neck ridge; shoulder rings not confluent over neck ridge, not forming continuous collar; upper shoulder ring spine opposite 11th pectoral fin ray; trunk and tail ridges with numerous large, curved spines; snout length approximately 57 % of head length.
Description
D xvii (xvii); A iv (iv); P1 xvii–xviii (xviii). Trunk rings 11 (11), tail rings 37 (35–37). Subdorsal spines 3/0,1,0 (3/0,1,0). Head large, 73 (71) % of trunk length. Snout long, more than 1.5 times postorbital length, 57 (47) % of head length. Dorsal fin base over 2 trunk and 1 tail rings. Nose spine moderate, height about equal to pupil diameter. Snout dorsally without spines. Double spines above eye moderate, 2.5 in eye diameter (only slightly longer than pupil diameter). 1 large spine behind eye, 1 curved spine below eye. Lateral head spine single. Gill openings restricted, not close together near neck ridge. Nape spine large, curved towards coronet, close to coronet. Coronet raised, with 4 large spines (2 on each side). Shoulder rings not forming continuous collar, not confluent over neck ridge; 3 large spines on shoulder ring, upper spine at level of 1st pectoral fin ray, central spine at level of 11th (10th) pectoral fin ray, lower spine at ventral extent of ring. Neck ridge with large double spine. 1 large neck spine. Superior trunk ridge with enlarged curved spines on 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th–11th rings and with slightly shorter spines on the other rings. Lateral trunk ridge with a large curved spine on each ring except for the first. Inferior trunk ridge with slightly smaller, curved spines on all rings except for the first and second. Ventral trunk spines broad, blunt, on 6th–10th rings. Superior tail ridge spines well developed anteriorly and centrally, decreasing in length posteriorly, with enlarged spines on 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 12th and 14th rings, and smaller spines on the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 11th, 13th, 15th–20th and on a few posterior rings. Inferior tail ridge continuous with inferior trunk ridge, with short spines which are directed downward on 1st–7th rings. Lateral line not detected. Max length : 9.8 cm SL (female). depth range 6 - 20 m.
Colour
Head and body brown, with yellow spines, and yellow blotches on top of the head, on the first trunk ring and on the anterior back. Snout brown, with vertical yellowish lines. Eye silvery, with a vertical blackish streak reaching from pupil to supraorbital spine.
Etymology
Hippocampus: Greek, ippos = horse + Greek,kampe = curvature.
curvicuspis: Name from the Latin 'curvus' for curved and 'cuspis' for spine; referring to the curved spines, including the nape spine and several spines on the superior and lateral trunk ridges.
Distribution
Western Pacific: New Caledonia.
Biotop
The species occurs in seagrass beds at depths of more than 6m.
Biology
Male carries the eggs in a brood pouch
Similar species
Hippocampus histrix (Kaup, 1856) - Hippocampus curvicuspis is very similar to Hippocampus histrix, but differs in its 35–37 tail rings (33–34 in Hippocampus histrix), the supraorbital spines which are much shorter than eye diameter (as long as eye diameter in Hippocampus histrix),
coronet with 4 spines (5 spines in Hippocampus histrix), tail spines decreasing in length after 15th ring (after 20th ring in Hippocampus histrix).
Hippocampe épineux, New Caledonian thorny seahorse,
Identification
A large spiny seahorse with 17 dorsal fin rays, 17–18 pectoral fin rays, 11 trunk rings, 35–37 tail rings, subdorsal spines 3/0,1,0; nose spine moderately large, height about equal to pupil diameter; double spine above eyes moderately long, shorter than eye diameter; lateral head spine single; coronet raised, with 4 large spines; gill openings restricted, not close together near neck ridge; shoulder rings not confluent over neck ridge, not forming continuous collar; upper shoulder ring spine opposite 11th pectoral fin ray; trunk and tail ridges with numerous large, curved spines; snout length approximately 57 % of head length.
Description
D xvii (xvii); A iv (iv); P1 xvii–xviii (xviii). Trunk rings 11 (11), tail rings 37 (35–37). Subdorsal spines 3/0,1,0 (3/0,1,0). Head large, 73 (71) % of trunk length. Snout long, more than 1.5 times postorbital length, 57 (47) % of head length. Dorsal fin base over 2 trunk and 1 tail rings. Nose spine moderate, height about equal to pupil diameter. Snout dorsally without spines. Double spines above eye moderate, 2.5 in eye diameter (only slightly longer than pupil diameter). 1 large spine behind eye, 1 curved spine below eye. Lateral head spine single. Gill openings restricted, not close together near neck ridge. Nape spine large, curved towards coronet, close to coronet. Coronet raised, with 4 large spines (2 on each side). Shoulder rings not forming continuous collar, not confluent over neck ridge; 3 large spines on shoulder ring, upper spine at level of 1st pectoral fin ray, central spine at level of 11th (10th) pectoral fin ray, lower spine at ventral extent of ring. Neck ridge with large double spine. 1 large neck spine. Superior trunk ridge with enlarged curved spines on 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th–11th rings and with slightly shorter spines on the other rings. Lateral trunk ridge with a large curved spine on each ring except for the first. Inferior trunk ridge with slightly smaller, curved spines on all rings except for the first and second. Ventral trunk spines broad, blunt, on 6th–10th rings. Superior tail ridge spines well developed anteriorly and centrally, decreasing in length posteriorly, with enlarged spines on 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 12th and 14th rings, and smaller spines on the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 11th, 13th, 15th–20th and on a few posterior rings. Inferior tail ridge continuous with inferior trunk ridge, with short spines which are directed downward on 1st–7th rings. Lateral line not detected. Max length : 9.8 cm SL (female). depth range 6 - 20 m.
Colour
Head and body brown, with yellow spines, and yellow blotches on top of the head, on the first trunk ring and on the anterior back. Snout brown, with vertical yellowish lines. Eye silvery, with a vertical blackish streak reaching from pupil to supraorbital spine.
Etymology
Hippocampus: Greek, ippos = horse + Greek,kampe = curvature.
curvicuspis: Name from the Latin 'curvus' for curved and 'cuspis' for spine; referring to the curved spines, including the nape spine and several spines on the superior and lateral trunk ridges.
Distribution
Western Pacific: New Caledonia.
Biotop
The species occurs in seagrass beds at depths of more than 6m.
Biology
Male carries the eggs in a brood pouch
Similar species
Hippocampus histrix (Kaup, 1856) - Hippocampus curvicuspis is very similar to Hippocampus histrix, but differs in its 35–37 tail rings (33–34 in Hippocampus histrix), the supraorbital spines which are much shorter than eye diameter (as long as eye diameter in Hippocampus histrix),
coronet with 4 spines (5 spines in Hippocampus histrix), tail spines decreasing in length after 15th ring (after 20th ring in Hippocampus histrix).