HIPPOCAMPUS HISTRIX - (KAUP, 1856)
Picture courtesy of: Jack Berthomier (Flicker)
Hippocampe hérissé, Hippocampe épineux, Hippocampe à long bec, Thorny seahorse, Long-snouted seahorse, Spiny seahorse, Caballito de mar, Stekel-seeperdjie, Ibara-Tatsu, イバラタツ, فرس البحر الشوكي, Cá ngựa gai dài, ม้าน้ำหนามขอ, 가시해마, 刺海馬, 長棘海馬,
Description
Rayons mous dorsaux (Total) : 15-19 (généralement : 17); Rayons mous anaux : 4; Rayons nageoires pectorales : 17-20 (généralement : 18); Anneaux sur le tronc : 11; Anneaux sur la queue : 33-37 (généralement : 35); Anneaux supportant la nageoire dorsale : 2+1. Le corps est mince, allongé et entièrement couvert d'épines. Ces dernières sont pointues avec l'extrémité sombre. Celles de la queue préhensile sont de même dimension. Le tronc comporte de longues épines qui se poursuive jusqu'à la couronne qui en compte entre 4 et 5. La tête est également munie de nombreuses épines sur le front, la base des joues, le nez et au-dessus des yeux. Le museau est très long et effilé.La couleur est assez variable selon l'environnement dans les tons rouges, roses, bruns ou jaunes. Taille maximum : 17.0 cm TL. Profondeur : 1 - 95 m, généralement : 5 - 20 m.
Etymologie
Hippocampus : du Grec, ippos = cheval + du Grec, kampế = courbure, sinuosité ou du Grec, kámpos = monstre marin, animal marin. L'hippocampe est une créature mythologique ayant la tête, le torse et les pattes avant d'un cheval et la queue d'un poisson ou d'un dauphin, galopant dans l'océan en tirant le char d'or de Poséidon. Certains disent campus = chenille, en référence à la queue étroite de l'hippocampe couverte d'épines arrondies semblables à des rangées de pattes de chenilles, ou à une croyance médiévale selon laquelle les hippocampes sont des dragons larvaires.
histrix : du Latin, hystrix = piquant, épineux.
Description originale : Hippocampus histrix Kaup, 1856 - Localité type : Japon.
Distribution
Pacifique Indo-Ouest : de l'Afrique du Sud aux îles Hawaii et îles de la Société, au Nord, Japon, au Sud, Australie et Nouvelle-Calédonie.
Biologie
Présent dans les zones abritées et relativement peu profondes. Il se rencontre sur des fonds meubles et rocheux riches en coraux mous et en éponges mais peut être aussi trouvé dans les amas d'algue et les herbiers.
Hippocampe carnivore se nourrissant de petits crustacés ainsi que d'autres organismes planctoniques. Il est ovovivipare et c'est le mâle qui couve les œufs dans sa poche incubatrice ventrale. Cette dernière comporte des villosités riches en capillaires qui entourent chaque œuf fécondé créant une sorte de placenta alimentant les embryons. Parvenus à terme, les petits seront expulsés de la poche et évolueront de manière totalement autonome.
Espèces ressemblantes
Hippocampus angustus (Günther, 1870) - Présent dans le Nord de l'Australie et en Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée.
Hippocampus barbouri (Jordan & Richardson, 1908) - Présent aux Philippines, en Indonésie et en Malaisie.
Hippocampus jayakari (Boulenger, 1900) - Présent en Mer Rouge et dans l'Ouest de l'océan Indien : Est de l'Afrique, Seychelles, île de la Réunion et Maurice, îles Maldives.
Hippocampus spinosissimus (Weber, 1913) - Présent en Nouvelle-Calédonie - Lien vers l'espèce (ici).
Synonymes
Hippocamphus hystrix (Kaup, 1856)
Hippocampus hystrix (Kaup, 1856)
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Description
Dorsal fin rays: 15-19 (usually: 17); Anal fin rays: 4; Pectoral fin rays: 17-20 (usually: 18); Trunk rings: 11; Tail rings: 33-37 (usually: 35); Rings supporting dorsal fin: 2 trunk rings and 1 tail ring. Head long, about equal to trunk length, angled down to near trunk; Snout long, equal to or longer than head length; Body narrow; Dorsal fin short-based. Spines very elongate, extremely sharp; Nape spine immediately before coronet, elongate and directed upwards, slightly longer than spine above eye; Lower shoulder-ring spine elongate, single, directed laterally and slightly forward; Spine above eye about equal to eye diameter; Nose spine slightly longer than spine above eye; Cheek spine single; Two sharp neck spines, similar to coronet spines in length; Trunk ridge spines on nearly all trunk and tail junctions, only absent on first ring of lateral ridge, starting on 4th; Subdorsal spines 3/0,1,0. Coronet of moderate height, large, with 5 elongate divergent spines on apex. Max. length: 17.0 cm TL. Depth range: 1 - 95 m, usually: 5 - 20 m.
Color
Base color highly variable to match surroundings, from cream to grey, greenish, yellow or brown to burgundy-red; Body plain or with saddle-like markings, often with small darker spots and blotches on sides and dorsal surface; Small areas with tiny reddish spots on nape and dorsal surface; Snout usually with one to several fine white bars; Tips of spines often black.
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.
Description originale : Hippocampus histrix Kaup, 1856 - Localité type : Japon.
Distribution
Pacifique Indo-Ouest : de l'Afrique du Sud aux îles Hawaii et îles de la Société, au Nord, Japon, au Sud, Australie et Nouvelle-Calédonie.
Biologie
Présent dans les zones abritées et relativement peu profondes. Il se rencontre sur des fonds meubles et rocheux riches en coraux mous et en éponges mais peut être aussi trouvé dans les amas d'algue et les herbiers.
Hippocampe carnivore se nourrissant de petits crustacés ainsi que d'autres organismes planctoniques. Il est ovovivipare et c'est le mâle qui couve les œufs dans sa poche incubatrice ventrale. Cette dernière comporte des villosités riches en capillaires qui entourent chaque œuf fécondé créant une sorte de placenta alimentant les embryons. Parvenus à terme, les petits seront expulsés de la poche et évolueront de manière totalement autonome.
Espèces ressemblantes
Hippocampus angustus (Günther, 1870) - Présent dans le Nord de l'Australie et en Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée.
Hippocampus barbouri (Jordan & Richardson, 1908) - Présent aux Philippines, en Indonésie et en Malaisie.
Hippocampus jayakari (Boulenger, 1900) - Présent en Mer Rouge et dans l'Ouest de l'océan Indien : Est de l'Afrique, Seychelles, île de la Réunion et Maurice, îles Maldives.
Hippocampus spinosissimus (Weber, 1913) - Présent en Nouvelle-Calédonie - Lien vers l'espèce (ici).
Synonymes
Hippocamphus hystrix (Kaup, 1856)
Hippocampus hystrix (Kaup, 1856)
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Description
Dorsal fin rays: 15-19 (usually: 17); Anal fin rays: 4; Pectoral fin rays: 17-20 (usually: 18); Trunk rings: 11; Tail rings: 33-37 (usually: 35); Rings supporting dorsal fin: 2 trunk rings and 1 tail ring. Head long, about equal to trunk length, angled down to near trunk; Snout long, equal to or longer than head length; Body narrow; Dorsal fin short-based. Spines very elongate, extremely sharp; Nape spine immediately before coronet, elongate and directed upwards, slightly longer than spine above eye; Lower shoulder-ring spine elongate, single, directed laterally and slightly forward; Spine above eye about equal to eye diameter; Nose spine slightly longer than spine above eye; Cheek spine single; Two sharp neck spines, similar to coronet spines in length; Trunk ridge spines on nearly all trunk and tail junctions, only absent on first ring of lateral ridge, starting on 4th; Subdorsal spines 3/0,1,0. Coronet of moderate height, large, with 5 elongate divergent spines on apex. Max. length: 17.0 cm TL. Depth range: 1 - 95 m, usually: 5 - 20 m.
Color
Base color highly variable to match surroundings, from cream to grey, greenish, yellow or brown to burgundy-red; Body plain or with saddle-like markings, often with small darker spots and blotches on sides and dorsal surface; Small areas with tiny reddish spots on nape and dorsal surface; Snout usually with one to several fine white bars; Tips of spines often black.
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.
histrix: from Latin, hystrix = spiny.
Original description: Hippocampus histrix Kaup, 1856 - Type locality: Japan.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Tanzania and South Africa to Hawaii and Tahiti, north to Japan, south to Australia and New Caledonia.
Biology
A rare inhabitant of shallow sheltered reefs, found among clumps of algae or in seagrass beds. Large adult pelagic and probably associated with drifting debris. Associated with sponges and sea-squirts. Feeds on zooplanktons and small crustaceans. Not common in the aquarium trade.
Ovoviviparous. The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail. The female uses an ovipositor to transfer her eggs into an elaborate enclosed pouch under the abdomen of the male. The male not only fertilizes the eggs inside the pouch and provides physical protection for the developing embryos, he also osmoregulates and aerates the embryos and may provide some nourishment until the offfspring are born.
Similar species
Hippocampus angustus (Günther, 1870) - Reported from Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. It has a shorter, striped snout, double cheek spines, and blunter spines, especially on the upper dorsal surface of the trunk.
Hippocampus barbouri (Jordan & Richardson, 1908) - Reported from Western Pacific: Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. It has a shorter, striped snout, a higher coronet, double cheek spines, and blunter spines. It often also has poorly developed or undeveloped spines on alternate tail rings.
Hippocampus jayakari (Boulenger, 1900) - Reported from Red Sea, western Indian Ocean: East Africa, Seychelles, Réunion and Mauritius (western Mascarenes) east to Maldives. it has more tail rings, more dorsal fin rays, a shorter snout, and spines on alternate tail rings only.
Hippocampus spinosissimus (Weber, 1913) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here). It has a deeper body; More tail rings; A shorter snout; Lower, blunter spines and a higher coronet with smaller spines.
Original description: Hippocampus histrix Kaup, 1856 - Type locality: Japan.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Tanzania and South Africa to Hawaii and Tahiti, north to Japan, south to Australia and New Caledonia.
Biology
A rare inhabitant of shallow sheltered reefs, found among clumps of algae or in seagrass beds. Large adult pelagic and probably associated with drifting debris. Associated with sponges and sea-squirts. Feeds on zooplanktons and small crustaceans. Not common in the aquarium trade.
Ovoviviparous. The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail. The female uses an ovipositor to transfer her eggs into an elaborate enclosed pouch under the abdomen of the male. The male not only fertilizes the eggs inside the pouch and provides physical protection for the developing embryos, he also osmoregulates and aerates the embryos and may provide some nourishment until the offfspring are born.
Similar species
Hippocampus angustus (Günther, 1870) - Reported from Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. It has a shorter, striped snout, double cheek spines, and blunter spines, especially on the upper dorsal surface of the trunk.
Hippocampus barbouri (Jordan & Richardson, 1908) - Reported from Western Pacific: Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. It has a shorter, striped snout, a higher coronet, double cheek spines, and blunter spines. It often also has poorly developed or undeveloped spines on alternate tail rings.
Hippocampus jayakari (Boulenger, 1900) - Reported from Red Sea, western Indian Ocean: East Africa, Seychelles, Réunion and Mauritius (western Mascarenes) east to Maldives. it has more tail rings, more dorsal fin rays, a shorter snout, and spines on alternate tail rings only.
Hippocampus spinosissimus (Weber, 1913) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here). It has a deeper body; More tail rings; A shorter snout; Lower, blunter spines and a higher coronet with smaller spines.