Close-up of a Pygmy Sea horse, Hippocampus bargibanti (Whitley,1970), clinging to a gorgonian of the genus Muricella.

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Photograph of a pygmy seahorse, Hippocampus bargibanti,on Muricella paraplectana taken in the Solomon Islands in 2002. Pygmy seahorses are masters of camouflage. As one of the smallest species of seahorses with a max. of 2,4cm they are found in the tropical waters of the Western Indo-Pacific in depths of 16 to 40m. They body structure imitates the polyps of their host gorgonian to hide from potential predators. Pygmy seahorses feed on planktonic particles that are trapped in the gorgonian's slimy cover. There can be up to 28 pairs in one gorgonian. It is assumed that pygmy seahorses live monogamous, remaining with one partner over their life span. Reproduction is ovoviviparous, whereby the male breeds the eggs in a pouch.

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Size: 3575px × 5480px
Location: Solomon Islands
Photo credit: © Malcolm Ross / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: actinopterygii, black, bulb, bulbous, bump, camouflage, coral, dark, diving, fish, gorgonian, hiding, hippocampinae, host, indo-pacific, islands, ocean, orange, polyplike, pregnant, pygmy, reef, seahorse, small, solomon, symbiosis, tubercles, underwater, warm