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Sea pony (Hippocampus fuscus) — Syngnathidae

Sea pony

Hippocampus fuscus
Family: Syngnathidae

The Sea pony (Hippocampus fuscus) is a saltwater fish of the family Syngnathidae that grows up to 14 cm.

Length
14.4 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–10.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Irregular
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The sea pony is a seahorse (Syngnathidae) from coastal waters of the western Indian Ocean and Red Sea, which has also reached the eastern Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. The species grows to about 14 cm and has a bony-ringed, brown to yellowish body, a prehensile tail and a tubular snout. It lives among seagrass and weed and sucks up small zooplankton. The male carries and broods the eggs in a pouch. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Sea pony?

The Sea pony has an irregular in shape body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Sea pony live?

The Sea pony lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Sea pony get?

The Sea pony grows to a maximum of about 14 cm.

Is the Sea pony dangerous to humans?

No, the Sea pony is harmless to humans.

Is the Sea pony edible?

Yes, the Sea pony is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Sombere zeepaardje sourced
English name
Sea pony sourced
Scientific name
Hippocampus fuscus
Family
Syngnathidae
Other names
Sea pony verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
14.4 verified
Body shape
Irregular sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
10.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Hippocampus

More from the family Syngnathidae

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