Species Type:
Fishes
Common Name(s):
Lined Seahorse
Size:
Lined seahorses can grow to be over 7 inches (17.8 centimeters) long.
Diet:
Lined seahorses eat plankton, small fish, and small crustaceans such as shrimp.
Range & Habitat:
The lined seahorse can be found in coastal communities of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coast of North and South America. They stay at depths anywhere from 2 - 230 feet (.5 - 70 meters) in habitats with plentiful aquatic vegetation such as mangroves, seagrasses, sponges and floating seaweed.
Details:
Lined seahorses rely on their coloring and texture to camouflage themselves into their environment for protection from predators. Hiding in coral, seagrass and mangroves, these seahorses are able to ambush their prey. They use their tails to hold onto seaweed and coral to prevent floating aimlessly in the water column.
Lined seahorses have complex mating rituals that can sometimes last for days. Once a pair is bonded, the male seahorse will carry the embryos in his pouch until they’re ready to be let out.