Have you ever heard of Sea horses? These horse-faced animals are actually fish. It is estimated that there are about 40 species of seahorses, all belonging to the genus Hippocampus, with different colors and varied formats. In Brazil, there are only two species: hippocampus reidi and Hippocampus erectus.
You seahorses onlyare bony fish normally found in shallow water. They vary in size, with some species reaching around 30 centimeters and others only 13 millimeters long. They are excellent at camouflage and are able to change color.
These fish move slowly in the water and, to avoid being carried away by the current, they tangle their tails in some aquatic plants, corals or algae. Its fins are very small and almost transparent. Your eyes move independently, as do the eyes of the chameleons. Seahorses feed on small larvae of shrimp, molluscs and other small animals such as beach fleas. To capture their prey, they suck water.
Observe the seahorse using its tail to avoid being carried away by the force of the water
One of the most curious characteristics of these fish concerns their reproduction. In these animals, fertilization is internal and the offspring's development takes place inside the male's body. As fish do not have a uterus, the offspring grows in a cavity that is called the ovarian or follicular cavity, which supplies nutrients and gases to the eggs. The gestational period varies, lasting on average two months.
The seahorse originates approximately 300 offspring. Once they are born, small seahorses – just 2 millimeters – no longer depend on their father. Despite the large number of animals born, only a small portion survives to adulthood, as they are often eaten by larger fish.
The male seahorse gets pregnant
Seahorses are animals threatened with extinction, mainly as a result of overfishing and the destruction of the place where they live. These cute little animals are often captured to serve as a decorative piece or to be placed in aquariums.
By Ma. Vanessa dos Santos
