Species Type:
Fishes
Common Name(s):
Potbelly seahorse
Size:
On average, potbellied seahorses grow to be around 7.09 inches (18 centimeters) long.
Diet:
Crustaceans like, shrimp, peracarids and amphipods are the main course on a potbelly seahorse's menu.
Range & Habitat:
Along the coasts of Australia and New Zealand, potbellied seahorses reside anywhere from shallow seagrass to deeper sponge garden environments.
Details:
With dorsal and pectoral fins, the potbellied seahorse can steer, propel and stabilize itself while swimming. Their prehensile tails allow them to grasp onto objects in their environment such as seagrass and sponge. These seahorses are largely monogamous, meaning they court a mate once and stick together for the rest of their lives. Potbellied seahorses breed year round but become particularly active during the spring and summer months. Unlike most other species, the males carry the offspring in a brooding pouch and typically release them during a full moon. On the International Union for Conservation’s Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN), the potbellied seahorse is listed as Least Concern.