Do you want to learn about the seahorse? If so, you should not miss this article, you will discover amazing things about these animals, their characteristics, habitat and much more.
Seahorse
An animal that arouses the curiosity of more than one, its peculiar shape and way of walking in addition to many of its natural practices captivate those who come across one of them; These animals do not have much life expectancy, since they live for a few years, some last a year while others could live four years.
In recent years its population has been decreasing considerably, like other species in danger of extinction, it is the product of the lack of Environmental awareness, from pollution and other human actions, categorizing it in the IUCN as a critically endangered animal.
The reefs and corals are very affected, this being their main habitat and these being so deteriorated they migrate to places where the conditions they need are not given. But another big problem is that in China it is highly demanded at the medical level, since it is used to make medicines.
Characteristics of the seahorse
There is a great variety of species of this animal, so that between one species and another the standard size can vary, so far at least fifty-four species of this animal have been counted, some can measure eighteen millimeters, these being the largest. small, but there are others much larger than thirty centimeters.
His body is covered by layers of bone and not by scales as perhaps many imagine; Their most common colors tend to help them camouflage themselves in the sea, since they are brown, beige or black, but there are some other colors that attract a little more attention, such as purple, yellow and orange.
They only have fins on the pectoral and dorsal fins, they swim upright, but they tend to go very slowly, therefore they are usually very easy prey for other animals and this is the importance of being camouflaged much of the time; they are usually in corals where they can be hooked, since strong tides usually cause their death.
Habitat
This small and charming animal can be found in a wide variety of oceans and seas, whether in the Atlantic or the Mediterranean, they can be stagnant or flowing waters, low or tropical temperatures, with a lot or little current, deep or a few meters, It can be attached to a wide variety of spaces.
When moving to the European continent and more precisely to Spain, within the Arousa River, a great variety of these beautiful seahorses can be observed; the place they like to inhabit the most is in the algae and corals, so if you want to find one of these to photograph it, do not hesitate to approach those spaces of the seas that will surely not disappoint you.
How do seahorses feed?
Surely you are very curious about the fact of feeding seahorses, being so small, what will they feed on? Their size is not an impediment, since they mainly feed on zooplankton crustaceans.
These animals lack teeth, so their way of feeding is through aspiration, they use their snout to suck up their food, a very important fact is the fact that they eat enough to be able to have all the nutrients they need in their body. they need to stay safe and sound.
But something even more interesting and that will surely surprise you is in terms of their eyes, since they move each one on their own, they do not depend on each other in terms of movement, this being very useful to look for their food and to be attentive. when predators are nearby.
Reproduction of Seahorses
This is something that surely surprises more than one and that is that it is the male who gets pregnant! Something that does not happen in other species, the female is in charge of laying the eggs, which when they mature are placed in the bag that incubates inside the male, where fertilization occurs.
The embryos are developed in the male, as time goes by the salinity inside that sac increases, this happens with the intention that future seahorses adapt to what they will face at birth; It is also noted that once the male has his offspring, the female lays eggs again and begins the process again.
How long does a Seahorse live?
As already mentioned in a previous segment, the life of these curious animals can vary from one year to four years, depending on the adversities they face at sea, either by predators, by very strong seas or by recurrent environmental pollution.
Many of these animals have been captured to be studied, to make them a human entertainment and for medicine, which occurs mostly in China, which is why it is considered as part of the Endangered animals in the world, although in some areas more than in others.
Do you want some romantic advice from the fish?
These little animals dance in the mornings, so that their couple ties are stronger, a piece of advice that would be very good for many humans; With their tails together, they often change color and mate, this tail can have the strength of an infant's finger when it grabs an adult.
