ESCUELA SUPERIOR DE INGENIERIA MECANICA Y

ELECTRICA Culhuacan

Seahorse

Mercado Muñoz Juan F.Morales Pérez Nayeli

Seahorse

-Seahorses compose the fish genus Hippocampus within the family

Syngnathidae, in order Syngnathiformes

-They are mainly found in shallow tropical and temperate waters throughout the world

-They prefer to live in coral reefs, or mangroves

Description

Seahorses swim upright, another characteristic that is not shared by their close pipefish relatives, which

swim horizontally

Seahorses have a coronet on their head, which is distinct to each individual, much like a human

fingerprint

Seahorses have no caudal fin because they are poor swimmers

Reproduction

When mating, the female seahorse deposits up to 1,500 eggs in the male's

pouch.

The male carries the eggs for anywhere from 9 to 45 days until they

emerge, expelling fully-developed, miniature seahorses in the water

Once the seahorse babies are released into the water, the male's role is done and he offers no further care

Courtship

Scientists believe the courtship behavior

synchronizes the animals' movements so that

the male can receive the eggs when the female

is ready to deposit them.

The female inserts her ovipositor into the

male’s brood pouch and deposits dozens to

thousands of eggs. As the female releases her

eggs, her body slims while his swells. Both

animals then sink back into the seagrass and

she swims away.

GestationThe male releases his

sperm directly into seawater where it fertilizes the eggs.

The eggs then hatch in the pouch where the salinity of

the water is regulated.

The pouch provides oxygen as well as a controlled environment incubator.

Birth

When the fry are ready to be born, the male expels them with muscular

contractions.

He typically gives birth at night and is ready for the next batch of eggs by morning when his mate returns.

Like almost all other fish species, seahorses do not nurture their young

after birth.

Feeding habitsSeahorses feed on small crustaceans floating in the water or crawling on the bottom. With excellent camouflage and a lot of patience, seahorses ambush prey that float within striking range. Mysid shrimp and other small crustaceans are favorites, but some seahorses have been observed eating other kinds of invertebrates and even larval fish.

The end