Coupled with this, seahorses are also in high demand as pets but more worryingly as food and medicine for some Southeast Asian countries.
This only adds to the threat of extinction from the Gulf Coast waters. Several other factors threaten the seahorse including noise pollution, hurricanes, tropical storms and by catch from fishing boat, even if they are thrown back into the water it is unlikely that they will survive.
The low frequency noise from passing motor boats can also harm the reproduction rates of seahorses. The good news is that the government is now considering whether the dwarf seahorses should have federal protection. That would make the trading of them a criminal offense. Because of the rapid decline in population it is not common to spot them.
The best way to find them is to wade in an area of seagrass with a net. Take a few swoops with the net. Then place the net in a bucket of water to transfer any seahorses from the net to the bucket. If you do find a Dwarf Seahorse, try not to relocate them. They can only swim within a square foot of seagrass. Moms of the sea; they give birth - a phenomenon that lured Masonjones into studying these fanciful creatures in the first place.
Seahorses have the most elaborately adapted reproductive structure," Masonjones said. Their small brood size, lack of extended parental care, low mobility and the fact that they mate for life, all contribute to the seahorse's vulnerability to environmental changes or overharvesting. To volunteer for seahorse research in Tampa Bay, contact Heather Masonjones at , ext. Kristin Thoms is the public outreach assistant for the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and a freelance science writer.
Name: Dwarf Seahorse, Hippocampus zosterae. Range: The dwarf seahorse inhabits most of the world's temperate and tropical coastal waters, including Tampa Bay, the Gulf of Mexico and waters surrounding Bermuda and the Bahamas. Anatomy: Diminutive in size, the dwarf seahorse measures about one to two inches from head to tail. Seahorses are fish - they breathe with gills and swim with tiny delicate fins. Bony plates cover their bodies and serve as protective armor. The coronet, the bony structure at the top of the head, is nearly as distinctive as a person's thumb print.
Male seahorses are unique because they have a kangaroo-like pouch called a marsupium for raising young. All seahorses have a prehensile tail like a monkey and a small toothless mouth at the end of their elongated snout.
Their eyes move independently of each other like a lizard's - always keeping one eye on prey and one eye on predators lurking nearby. Depending on their environment, seahorses can change colors. In Tampa Bay, they can appear greenish to blackish. Diet: Seahorses feed on zooplankton - swallowing their food whole through their toothless mouths.
As ambush predators, they wait, concealed among their surroundings until their prey tiny zooplankton move within striking distance. Then, with a lightning quick lash of their trumpet-like snout, they strike - sucking up their prey like a vacuum. Seahorses also hunt on seagrass blades which host a variety of delectable treats such as barnacles, tubeworms and amphipods tiny crustaceans.
Habitat: Seahorses, in general, are found in shallow and coastal water environments among seagrass beds, salt marshes, mangroves and, at times, coral reefs.
In Tampa Bay, seahorses are most commonly found around Ft. DeSoto Park. They seem to prefer clinging to seagrass blades covered with epiphytic plant growth, which helps camouflage them even better. Life Cycles: The dwarf seahorse has a lifespan of about one or two years. Predators are few, but include crabs, small sharks and pelagic fish. As monogamous animals, the same pairs mate throughout their lives.
SeaHorse Wisdom. Find a few good friends you can trust and hang on to them for dear life!!!! Dive MORE! Because we were inspired by nature!
We are the only biodegradable Surfing, Diving, Spear-Fishing Gloves also happen to be the most powerful and advanced. Webbed and without webs. The best grip and dexterity available. Posted by Darkfin Gloves on Wednesday, 13 November With a dorsal fin that beats times per second to propel them forward — and pectoral fins at the head for stability and steering — seahorses are easily exhausted.
So they often use their tail to anchor themselves to their surrounding habitat. Mating Seahorses. Photo Credit: Don McLeish.
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