This ray-finned fish species, often known as the Denise’s Pygmy Seahorse, belongs to the family Syngnathidae. People can expand to 2.4 cm. They can reproduce sexually. Less than 2 cm long, this minuscule master of camouflage perfectly replicates the branches and polyps of its host gorgonian sea fans. Orange in color, with a relatively slender body covered in bumps, a long neck, a tiny snout, and a long prehensile tail, define Denise’s Pygmy Seahorse. On the gorgonian sea fans that serve as their octocoral hosts, the species blends in remarkably well.
The species is relatively uncommon, and there aren’t many facts on its population or true distribution.
Physical Appearance
The Denise’s Pygmy Seahorse is a tiny fish that can grow to a maximum length of around 2.4 cm, making it one of the tiniest seahorses in the family. This little seahorse has a short snout, a thin body, and a prehensile tail. The “Hippocampus bargibanti’s body” is either fully smooth or includes a few tubercles that resemble polyps, however these are fewer and less developed. Its coloring ranges from a somewhat brilliant yellow to an orange, with occasionally darker tail bands and frequently tiny dark dots.
Location
Several sites in the western Pacific have reported seeing this pygmy seahorse, including Vanuatu, Indonesia, Palau, the Solomon Islands, Malaysia, and Micronesia. It typically hides in gorgonian fields and can be found at depths of 13 to 100 m.
Behavior
The pygmy seahorse owned by Denise employs adaptive camouflage, altering its colour to blend in with the gorgonians around it. A single individual will stay on a single coral its entire life. The ovoviviparous species’ male is responsible for taking care of the eggs in the ventral brood pouch. In the latter, each fertilized egg is surrounded by capillary-rich villi that serve as an artificial placenta to nourish the growing embryos. Puppies leave the pocket when they are completely grown and become independent.
Food
It consumes zooplankton and other small crustaceans for food.
Table
