HIPPOCAMPUS COLEMANI - (KUITER, 2003)
Picture courtesy of: Alain Daoulas
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Syngnathiformes (Order) > Syngnathoidei (Suborder) > Syngnathidae (Family) > Syngnathinae (Subfamily) > Hippocampus (Genus)
Hippocampe de Coleman, Hippocampe pygmée de Colman, Coleman's Seahorse, Coleman's Pygmy Seahorse,
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Syngnathiformes (Order) > Syngnathoidei (Suborder) > Syngnathidae (Family) > Syngnathinae (Subfamily) > Hippocampus (Genus)
Hippocampe de Coleman, Hippocampe pygmée de Colman, Coleman's Seahorse, Coleman's Pygmy Seahorse,
Description
Dorsal fin rays: 12-13; Pectoral fin rays: 10; Trunk rings: 11, obscured and smooth dorsally; Tail rings: 27-29; Head small: 50 % of trunk length and strongly angled down onto trunk; Snout short, length about equal to eye diameter; Trunk very deep: 60 % of its length; Tail thin: 1.3 times in eye diameter, its greatest depth and width anteriorly, and its length: 58 % in height. Dorsal fin base greatly elevated posteriorly so that fin rays almost parallel with trunk axis, height of fin base at posterior end almost equal to its length. Trunk and tail ridges poorly developed, mostly indistinguishable and only evident on lower two-thirds of trunk, as ventral and inferior ridges; All spines reduced to tubercles, those on back at 4th, 7th and 11th rings enlarged and most notable, largest below dorsalfin base, and on head as lateral head spines, some with dermal appendages; Coronet low and rounded with tentacle like dermal appendage anteriorly (also in paratype); Nose spine present as well-developed ridge in front of eye; Single relatively large gill opening, slightly raised by skin, and situated mid-dorsally on neck ridge, immediately behind head. Max. length: 2.7 cm SL. Depth range: 3 - 12 m.
Color
Body mostly pale goldenyellow; Trunk with white circular or elliptical markings, each outlined with thin red lines, largest around tubercles on 4th and 7th rings; Shoulder-ring tubercles white; Head white on nape above eyes, extending over snout to tip of mouth, highlighting several dusky brown bands radiating from eye; Tail slightly more brown with red markings, some expressed as elongate spots on same ring, suggesting a band.
Etymology
Hippocampus: from Greek, ippos = horse + from Greek, kampế = curvature, sinuosity or from Greek, kámpos = marine monster, sea animal. Hippocampus or hippocamp, also hippokampos is a mythological creature with the head, torso and forelegs of a horse and the tail end of a fish or dolphin, galloping through the ocean pulling Poseidon’s golden chariot. Some say campus = caterpillar, referring to the seahorse’s narrow tail covered in rounded spines similar to rows of caterpillar feet, or to a medieval belief that seahorses are larval dragons.
Dorsal fin rays: 12-13; Pectoral fin rays: 10; Trunk rings: 11, obscured and smooth dorsally; Tail rings: 27-29; Head small: 50 % of trunk length and strongly angled down onto trunk; Snout short, length about equal to eye diameter; Trunk very deep: 60 % of its length; Tail thin: 1.3 times in eye diameter, its greatest depth and width anteriorly, and its length: 58 % in height. Dorsal fin base greatly elevated posteriorly so that fin rays almost parallel with trunk axis, height of fin base at posterior end almost equal to its length. Trunk and tail ridges poorly developed, mostly indistinguishable and only evident on lower two-thirds of trunk, as ventral and inferior ridges; All spines reduced to tubercles, those on back at 4th, 7th and 11th rings enlarged and most notable, largest below dorsalfin base, and on head as lateral head spines, some with dermal appendages; Coronet low and rounded with tentacle like dermal appendage anteriorly (also in paratype); Nose spine present as well-developed ridge in front of eye; Single relatively large gill opening, slightly raised by skin, and situated mid-dorsally on neck ridge, immediately behind head. Max. length: 2.7 cm SL. Depth range: 3 - 12 m.
Color
Body mostly pale goldenyellow; Trunk with white circular or elliptical markings, each outlined with thin red lines, largest around tubercles on 4th and 7th rings; Shoulder-ring tubercles white; Head white on nape above eyes, extending over snout to tip of mouth, highlighting several dusky brown bands radiating from eye; Tail slightly more brown with red markings, some expressed as elongate spots on same ring, suggesting a band.
Etymology
Hippocampus: from Greek, ippos = horse + from Greek, kampế = curvature, sinuosity or from Greek, kámpos = marine monster, sea animal. Hippocampus or hippocamp, also hippokampos is a mythological creature with the head, torso and forelegs of a horse and the tail end of a fish or dolphin, galloping through the ocean pulling Poseidon’s golden chariot. Some say campus = caterpillar, referring to the seahorse’s narrow tail covered in rounded spines similar to rows of caterpillar feet, or to a medieval belief that seahorses are larval dragons.
colemani: in honor of Neville Coleman (1938-2012), environmental photographer, explorer and conservationist, who discovered and photographed this seahorse at Lord Howe Island, and then returned specifically to collect type, spending “many long hours underwater”.
Original description: Hippocampus colemani Kuiter, 2003 - Type locality: near Erscott's Hole, lagoon, Lord Howe Island, about 32°32.950'S, 159°05.080'E, depth 5 meters, collected by hand, Neville Coleman, January, 2002.
Distribution
Western Pacific: Lord Howe Island, New South Wales coast (Australia), New Caledonia (Thio - East coast). Records from Papua New Guinea and Ryukyu Islands (Japan) needs verification.
Biology
The habitat is comprised of coarse sand with sparse Zostera and Halophila plants that have fine filamentous algae on their leaves. The same algae are present on the body of the seahorses, attached to their skin. Ovoviviparous. The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail.
Original description: Hippocampus colemani Kuiter, 2003 - Type locality: near Erscott's Hole, lagoon, Lord Howe Island, about 32°32.950'S, 159°05.080'E, depth 5 meters, collected by hand, Neville Coleman, January, 2002.
Distribution
Western Pacific: Lord Howe Island, New South Wales coast (Australia), New Caledonia (Thio - East coast). Records from Papua New Guinea and Ryukyu Islands (Japan) needs verification.
Biology
The habitat is comprised of coarse sand with sparse Zostera and Halophila plants that have fine filamentous algae on their leaves. The same algae are present on the body of the seahorses, attached to their skin. Ovoviviparous. The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail.
Similar species
Hippocampus nalu (Short, Claassens, Smith, de Brauwer, Hamilton, Stat & Harasti, 2020) - Reported from Sodwana Bay, South Africa.
Hippocampus pontohi (Lourie & Kuiter, 2008) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to thes species (here).
Hippocampus pontohi is most similar to Hippocampus colemani and is primarily separated from the latter species on the basis of tail ring counts (26-28 in Hippocampus pontohi, versus 28-30 in Hippocampus colemani), raised angular coronet.
Hippocampus pontohi is most similar to Hippocampus colemani and is primarily separated from the latter species on the basis of tail ring counts (26-28 in Hippocampus pontohi, versus 28-30 in Hippocampus colemani), raised angular coronet.
Hippocampus satomiae (Lourie & Kuiter, 2008) - Reported from Indonesia, Borneo and Malaysia.
Last update: 24, June 2023