Hippocampus reidi
Longsnout Seahorse
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Gasterosteiformes (Sticklebacks and relatives)
Syngnathidae (Pipefishes)
Hippocampus
Hippocampus reidi (Longsnout Seahorse)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Angular body shape, head distinctly demarcated and angled ventrally from trunk, prehensile tail lacking caudal fin. Snout moderately long to long, lacks mid-dorsal snout ridge. Head length 23-27% TL, body depth 11-15% (females) and 13-17% (males) TL, trunk length 39-45% (females) and 35-41% (males) TL, tail length 55-61% (females) and 59-65% (males) TL. Snout length 41-49%, orbit diameter 13-18%, postorbital head length 35-41% of head length. Pectoral fin rays 15-17, dorsal fin rays 16-19, anal fin rays 3-4. Trunk rings 11, tail rings 33-37. Penultimate trunk ring septangular or novemangular, ultimate trunk ring octangular. Superior trunk and tail ridges discontinuous, overlapping along 1-3 rings under dorsal fin base. Lateral trunk ridge confluent with inferior tail ridge. Inferior trunk ridge terminates at ultimate trunk ring, median ventral trunk ridge terminates at penultimate trunk ring. Brood pouch extends over 5-7 tail rings. Dermal tabs absent.
Brownish with evenly distributed dark brown spots; occasionally dark brown without dark spots.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from Cape Hatteras and Bermuda to Rio de Janeiro, including the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean Sea.
Eastern Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
To 55 m depth
Biology
Maximum known size is 175 mm TL
Uncommon in most areas, but may be locally common in certain places. Usually attached to gorgonians or seagrasses but may occur in floating Sargassum or swimming freely in midwater (Ref. 9710). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205). The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail (Ref. 205). Has been reared in captivity (Ref. 35409). Length type refers to Height (= from top of coronet to the tip of straightened tail). Maximum depth reported taken from Ref. 128812.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: in brood pouch or similar structure; mating system: monogamy; bearers (external brooders); parental care: paternal. Breeding season more than 8 months in laboratory; egg diameter 1.2 mm; gestation period 2 weeks, depending on water temperature; young approximately 7 mm at birth; pair-bonded in wild (Ref. 30915). Monogamous mating is observed as both obligate and genetic (Ref. 52884).
IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened (NT), assessed 2016-10-04. Resilience: Medium (Assuming annual Fec<1000).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from other species of the family by the combination of characters described
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial.
References
Ginsburg 1933
Bohlke and Chaplin 1968
Vari 1982
Uyeno et al. 1983
C. R. Robins et al. 1986
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Uyeno, T., K. Matsuura and E. Fujii (eds.) (1983) Fishes trawled off Suriname and French Guiana. Japan Marine Fishery Resource Research Center, Tokyo, Japan. 519 p.
Lourie, S.A., A.C.J. Vincent and H.J. Hall (1999) Seahorses: an identification guide to the world's species and their conservation. Project Seahorse, London. 214 p.
Foster, S.J. and A.C.J. Vincent (2004) Life history and ecology of seahorses: implications for conservation and management. J. Fish Biol. 65(1):1-61. DOI: 10.1111/j.0022-1112.2004.00429.x
Whiteman, E.A. and I.M. Côté (2004) Monogamy in marine fishes. Biol. Rev. 79:351-375.
Lourie, S.A., R.A. Pollom and S.J. Foster (2016) A global revision of the seahorses Hippocampus Rafinesque 1810 (Actinopterygii: Syngnathiformes): taxonomy and biogeography with recommendations for further research. Zootaxa 4146(1):1-66.
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