Seahorses are hermaphrodites. Animal seahorse: description with photos and videos, interesting facts, sizes. Seahorse description

25.08.2021Heading: Solution

The seahorse is a small marine fish belonging to the needle family. Represented by 54 species. The size of the smallest individuals is about 2 centimeters, and the body length of the largest can reach 30 centimeters. Scientists studying the origin of this marine life conducted various anatomical, genetic, molecular studies and, based on the results obtained, came to the conclusion that it is a very modified needle fish.

The sea horse is a truly unique creation of nature. Lives in its natural environment for 4-5 years. Its appearance and habits are absolutely atypical for fish. In shape, the body of this creature is similar to the figure of a chess knight. It has thorns and leathery outgrowths. It is protected not by scales, but by a tough bony shell, which only a land crab can bite through. There are fins on the back and chest. The camouflage body color also contributes to protection from enemies.

The eyes are arranged according to the same principle as that of a chameleon. The swimbladder consists of 2 parts, separated by a septum. The head is more abdominal. The bubble is located along the torso and allows the seahorse to swim upright.

Due to the primitive structure of the digestive system (that is, the absence of teeth and stomach), seahorses are forced to eat almost all the time. Small shrimps and crustaceans serve as food for them, which are drawn in with water by a tubular stigma that functions like a pipette.

The habitat of seahorses is tropical and subtropical seas. They give preference to calm, clear water, since swaying on the waves is fraught with exhaustion for them. Moving slowly. In a new place, they take root badly. They are subject to stress and can even die from the loss of a partner, because they belong to monogamous creatures and choose their life partner once and for all.

Interestingly, the choice is made not by the male, but by the female. She beckons suitable "gentlemen" with a kind of dance and gives her sympathies to the fastest and most enduring. In the process of mating, the female lays eggs in a special pocket located on the male's tummy, which is the one that bears the offspring. After the birth of babies, parents do not care about them at all, so the percentage of their survival is low.

Due to mass capture and other reasons, today the number of seahorses has decreased, and some species are even threatened with the risk of complete extinction, because they are listed in the Red Book.

Option 2

The seahorse is a representative of the ray-finned fish class belonging to the needle family. The genus includes 54 species, the sizes of seahorses vary from 2 to 30 cm.

The habitat of the fish is the coastal regions of the subtropical and tropical seas and oceans. Seahorses carry out a sedentary lifestyle, attaching their tails to the stalks of algae, they practically do not move in the water column. Usually, their color depends on the color of the plants, they completely merge with the background, which makes the fish invisible to both prey and predators. The main food for seahorses is small plankton. The elongated stigma sucks in small marine animals along with the water. Due to the structure of the external skeleton - the shell, which covers the entire body of the seahorse with the exception of the tail section, the fish has practically no natural enemies.

The fish owes its unusual body shape to its anatomical structure. The swim bladder is located along the entire body, its head and abdominal parts are separated by a septum. The seahorse swims upright because the head swim bladder is larger than the ventral swim bladder.

Genetic and molecular studies have shown that the seahorse is a highly modified needle fish. Their species were divided in the late Oligocene. To date, almost no fossils of seahorses have been found, so it is impossible to trace how they acquired their familiar appearance in the course of evolution.

A male seahorse bears and gives birth to children. The female lays unfertilized eggs in a special cavity - a pocket, which is present in the male's abdominal region. There the eggs are fertilized, and after 1-2 months, young fish appear from them. They look like adults.

Recently, the seahorse population has begun to decline, which is associated with uncontrolled human activities. In coastal areas, this amazing fish is being massively caught. Due to their exotic unusual shape, seahorses are used as souvenirs and gifts. He already finds 30 species in the Red Book.

The seahorses are saved by their fertility, at one time the fish can reproduce more than 1000 cubs. However, not all of them are destined to become adults.

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Avid aquarists love to breed a wide variety of exotic fish and colorful, unusual animals that attract with their non-standard, bizarre proportions and interesting, at times, playful behavior. And none, and even can not be compared with the brightest inhabitants of sea waters - seahorses.

The seahorse is one of the most outlandish representatives of the aquarium world. Despite their bizarre shapes, all seahorses are part of the subgroup of bony marine fish, the order of needle-like.

It is interesting! There are only one males on the planet who themselves bear their future offspring - seahorses.

Taking a closer look, you yourself will notice the striking resemblance of these small bony fish to a chess piece. And how the seahorse moves interestingly in the water, all bends and very proudly carries its magnificently folded head!

Despite the apparent difficulty, keeping a seahorse is practically the same as keeping any other inhabitants of the aquarium world. But, before acquiring one or several individuals, many factors should be taken into account, without which the life of this bright and interesting "sea needle" may not be as long as we would like it to be.

Seahorses: interesting facts

The existence of the seahorse was known for a thousand years before our era. In ancient Roman mythology, it is said that the god of streams and the sea, Neptune, whenever he went to check his possessions, harnessed a “sea needle” to a chariot, very similar to a horse. Therefore, for sure, Lord Neptune cannot be huge if he moved on small thirty-centimeter skates. But, seriously speaking, it is very rare in nature today to find marine aciculars, which would reach a length of 30 cm. Basically, "skates" barely reach twelve centimeters.

In our time, it is already known about the existence of the fossilized remains of the ancestors of the seahorse. In the course of the study at the genetic level, scientists have identified the similarity of the seahorse with the needle fish.

What are they - seahorses

Today, marine aquarists have seahorses that range in length from 12 millimeters to twenty centimeters. Most of all, however, aquarists prefer to care for Hippocampus erectus, those. standard seahorses.

Seahorses were specially named so, since the head, chest, neck are completely similar to the horse's body parts. At the same time, they differ from fish in a different physique. The horse's head of these individuals is set in a completely different way from that of fish - in relation to the body, it is located at ninety degrees. What's more interesting, these sea fish have eyes that look on different sides.

And also these small, cute sea creatures do not swim horizontally, but vertically and have scales all over their bodies, strong armor - bony colorful, iridescent plates. The shell of these marine needle-shaped individuals is "steel", which cannot be pierced.

I would also like to mention an interesting property of the twisted, long tail of a sea fish in the form of a spiral. If seahorses sense that there is a predator nearby, they very quickly run away to shelter, algae, which they skillfully cling to with their spiral tail and manage to hide.

It is interesting! Feeling that they are in danger, sea fishes - skates cling to corals or algae with their long tails and remain motionless for a long time, hanging upside down.

Despite such a cute look, seahorses are classified as predatory fish, as they feed on shrimps and crustaceans.

The seahorse has the ability to disguise itself. They mimic like chameleons, taking on the color of the place where they stop. Basically, these marine fish like to hide where there are richer, brighter colors to avoid encounters with predators. And with the help of bright colors, the male attracts the attention of the female, which he really liked. To please the female, he can even "wear" her color.

Seahorses, despite their numbers, are considered rare fish, therefore their thirty subspecies are listed in the Red Book. The problem is that from year to year, the world's oceans are turning into a total polluted, garbage dump, because of which corals and algae die en masse, and these photosynthetic organisms are vital for seahorses.

And also, the seahorse itself has long been a valuable animal. The Chinese catch these fish en masse, as they believe that they cure any disease. In many European countries dead seahorses automatically become raw materials for making various souvenirs.

Keeping seahorses at home

Bony seahorses are unusual, bright, funny and very beautiful creatures. Maybe, feeling their beauty and greatness, they are very "capricious" when they fall into captivity. And to make these fish feel good, even experienced aquarists should try very hard. For them, a natural habitat must be created so that animals feel there the same way as in sea water... It is very important to monitor the temperature of the aquariums. Seahorses will feel comfortable in cool water with a temperature of twenty-three to twenty-five degrees Celsius, but no more. In a hot period, be sure to install a split system above the aquarium, you can simply turn on the fan. The hot air can suffocate these little creatures even in warm water.

Before placing the purchased skates in an aquarium with ordinary water, check its quality: it should not contain phosphates or ammonia. The maximum concentration of nitrates in water is allowed at ten ppm. Don't forget to add your favorite seahorse algae and corals to your aquarium. Surface grottoes made of artificial material will also look beautiful.

So you've taken care of your seahorse house. It will also be important for them to take care of food, because these beautiful inhabitants of the sea often and a lot like to eat meat and exotic. A seahorse should eat at least four to five times a day, receiving shrimp and crustacean meat. To do this, you can purchase frozen invertebrates and crustaceans. Seahorses love Mysis shrimp, they will enjoy eating moths and even daphnia with pleasure.

All seahorses suffer from limited gas exchange due to the poor performance of the gills. This is why the constant filtration of water and the supply of oxygen is a vital process for seahorses.
Seahorses do not have stomachs, so they need a lot of food to keep themselves healthy and not lose their energy balance.
Seahorses do not have scales, which is why they easily succumb to any infections, especially bacterial ones. An ecosystem moderator in an enclosed space should frequently inspect the body of the seahorse, which may be damaged.
Seahorses have interesting mouths - proboscis, with the help of which these creatures suck in caught prey at such a speed that they can swallow a dozen spineless mollusks at a time.

Breeding seahorses

Seahorses are skillful gentlemen! They begin their courtship with a mating dance, which they demonstrate to the female. If everything works out, the fish touch each other, wrap themselves around and look closely. This is how seahorses get to know each other. After numerous "hugs" the female begins to throw out a large army of caviar into the male's purse with the help of her genital nipple. Transparent fry of a seahorse are born in 30 days in an amount of twenty to two hundred individuals. They produce fry - males!

It is interesting! In nature, there is a subspecies of males of the outstanding seahorse, capable of carrying over a thousand fry.

It is noteworthy that the offspring is very difficult for the male of the smart seahorse, after giving birth, in a day, or even two, he rests for a long time at the bottom of the reservoir. And only the male, not the female, takes care of his babies for a long time, which, in case of imminent danger, can again hide in the brood purse of their father.

Seahorse Aquarium Neighbors

Seahorses are unpretentious and mysterious animals. They can very easily get along with other fish and invertebrates. Only small fish, very slow and careful, are suitable for them as neighbors. Such neighbors for skates can be fish - gobies and blend dogs. Among the invertebrates, the snail can be distinguished - an excellent cleaner of the aquarium, as well as non-stinging corals.

You can also place live stones in aquariums with marine needle-shaped living stones, the main thing is that they are completely healthy and are not pathogens.

Where to buy a seahorse

In any online store of aquariums and pet stores, live pictures and photos are presented different types seahorses to help you find the perfect one.

It is here or in any pet store in your city that you can buy a seahorse at the best prices. In the future, many pet shops offer substantial discounts for their regular customers, ranging from 10% and higher when ordering a batch of seahorses.

Many unusual and interesting creatures live in the depths of the sea, among which seahorses deserve special attention.

Seahorses, or scientifically hippocampus, are small bony fish of the sea needle family. Today there are about 30 types of them, which differ in size and appearance. "Growth" ranges from 2 to 30 centimeters, and the colors are very diverse.

The skates have no scales, but they are protected by a hard bony shell. Only a land crab can figure out and digest such "clothes", therefore, underwater predators usually do not have interest in ice skates, and they hide in such a way that any needle in a haystack will envy.

Another interesting feature of the skates is in the eyes: like a chameleon, they can move independently of each other.

Like a fish in water? No, this is not about them

Unlike other inhabitants of the sea, skates swim in an upright position, this is possible due to the presence of a large longitudinal swim bladder. By the way, they are very inept swimmers. The small dorsal fin makes rather fast movements, but this does not impart much speed, and the pectoral fins mainly serve as rudders. Most of the time, the skate hangs motionless in the water, catching its tail on the seaweed.

Every day is stress

Seahorses live in tropical and subtropical seas and prefer clear calm waters. The greatest danger to them is strong rolling, which can sometimes lead to complete exhaustion. Seahorses are generally very stress-prone. In an unfamiliar environment, they get along poorly, even if there is enough food, in addition, the loss of a partner can become the cause of death.

There is never a lot of food

The seahorse has a primitive digestive system, there are no teeth or stomach, therefore, in order not to starve to death, the creature has to constantly eat. By the way of feeding, ice skates are predators. When it comes time to have a snack (almost always), they cling to the algae with their tail and, like vacuum cleaners, suck in the surrounding water, which contains plankton.

An unusual family

Family relations with skates are also very peculiar. The female always chooses the second half. When she sees a suitable candidate, she invites him to dance. Several times the steam rises to the surface and descends again. The main task of the male is to be hardy and keep up with his girlfriend. If he slows down, the capricious lady will immediately find another gentleman for herself, but if the test is passed, the couple starts mating.

Seahorses are monogamous, that is, they choose a partner for life and sometimes even swim with tails. The offspring is carried by a male and by the way, these are the only creatures on the planet who have a "male pregnancy".

The mating dance can last about 8 hours. In the process, the female lays eggs in a special bag on the male's belly. This is where the miniature seahorses will form for the next 50 days.

From 5 to 1500 cubs will be born, only 1 in 100 will survive to mature age. It seems not enough, but this figure is actually one of the highest among fish.

Why seahorses are dying out

Seahorses are small, peace-loving fish that have suffered greatly due to their bright and unusual appearance. People catch them for different purposes: for making gifts, souvenirs, or for preparing an expensive exotic dish that costs about $ 800 per serving. In Asia, medicines are made from dried seahorses. 30 species out of 32 existing ones are included in the Red Book.

Hello my dear young readers and wise parents! There is a new topic in the "Projects" section! ShkolaLa helps to prepare a message about the seahorse. In whatever grade you are in elementary school, the report on this inhabitant of the sea will be an indispensable highlight in the lesson of the world around. Read it and you will understand why.

Lesson plan:

What kind of animal is a seahorse?

This aquatic inhabitant with an outstanding appearance does not look like a fish in any way. But in fact, it belongs to the fish family of needle-like. Most of all, he looks like a chess piece, which is why he was probably so nicknamed.

The body is crocheted, the back is humped, the abdomen is forward. Yes, and his head is a horse, and his mouth extended into a tube resembles a muzzle, and he leans against a tail twisted into a ring when moving.

Why not a horse in miniature!

This fish is also called a dragon, since many species really resemble this fairy-tale character with their wings spread out to the sides, except that there are not three heads, but only one!

In total, there are up to 50 species of seahorses, the size of which can be up to 30 centimeters. But the smallest of them is a dwarf one, he is only 2 centimeters tall. Almost 30 species are included in the Red Book.

It is interesting! Scientists' studies have proven that the closest relative of the seahorse is the needlefish, from which it separated as much as 23 million years ago! Today, numerous long spines have survived from the progenitor of the fish.

Where can you see the seahorse? He lives in the tropics and subtropics. His home - thickets of algae and coral reefs of the Black Sea, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, the shores of Australia, the Japanese Yellow Sea and the Russian Azov.

It is interesting! Seahorses are excellent at playing hide and seek and are perfect in camouflage. They have special cells called chromatophores that color the ridge to match its environment. At the same time, you can see the water chameleon only by the nose sticking out of the algae.

Most often, miniature horses are brown, yellowish or green, but those that live among corals are red and purple. Like a Christmas tree toy, such little tips hang in the depths of the sea, catching their tail on the plants.

How do seahorses swim?

It is difficult to call a seahorse a fish also because it does not swim like everyone else. His body is vertical in the water. The swim bladder, which runs along the body, helps him to maintain balance. It is divided into two parts: the head part is larger than the abdominal part, so the skate floats upright.

Changing the volume of gas in the bubble, the fish runs, rising up, and also plunging into depth. If something happens to the bubble of the skate, he has no choice but to lie still until he dies.

It is interesting! Dwarf representatives are the slowest fish in the world. They move, as they say, "a teaspoon per hour" - only one and a half meters in 60 minutes.

The tail of the fish is very flexible and without fins; the seahorse uses it like an anchor, clinging to corals and plants. By the way, he can hug his girlfriend.

But he cannot row with his tail. For this there is a movable fin on the back and a pair of pectoral fins.

Given such a structure, the seahorse swimmer is useless, and he also strives to compete, spending most of the time hovering, staring around.

What's on the seahorse's menu?

The water horse feeds on plankton - small crustaceans, which it hunts down, actively rotating its eyes. The tiny mouth of the fish is located at the end of the muzzle-tube.

As soon as the food approaches the little hunter, he puffs out his cheeks and, like a vacuum cleaner, strongly sucks the crustaceans.

It is interesting! These fish have neither teeth nor stomach. Their digestive organs are like a ramjet engine that constantly needs to be refueled.

Tiny horses can hang around for up to 10 hours, waiting for food, they don't even need to hunt, sit in one place, and lunch floats by. Moreover, as we already understood, he is not a swimmer. So a lazy glutton eats up to 3.5 thousand crustaceans per day.

Pregnant dads

Yes, we were not mistaken! This is exactly the only case when pregnancy is not a woman's business. The offspring of seahorses are carried by men! For this, the male has a purse like a kangaroo on his abdomen, where eggs are laid.

Of these, up to 1500 miniature seahorses appear in 40 days.

It is interesting! The seahorse is the only fish that has a neck.

But the frivolous mother, all these days, visits a friend only in the mornings, carelessly sailing away after five minutes of the date until the next day on her business. Or maybe forget about him altogether!

Even after birth, the dad takes care of the offspring: at the first danger, he gives them a signal, and they instantly hide safely in his bag.

Do seahorses have enemies?

Although the body of the seahorse is covered with a hard bony shell and spines, and the fish are too tough for most, but it can be a lunch for crabs or stingrays.

However, the greatest danger to him is man. The unique appearance of the fish and its beneficial features became the reasons for the massive catch.

They catch seahorses for souvenirs, for preparing expensive oriental dishes and for medical purposes.

It is interesting! When searching for food, as well as for vigilance, these fish manage to look with both eyes in different directions at the same time. And also their organs of vision can look like this: one forward, and the other to control what is happening behind.

They try to keep exotic seahorses in aquariums, but they do not adapt well to the artificial environment. If nothing threatens the fish, then it can live up to 5 years.

This is how we briefly talked about an amazing creature with the body of a horse, a kangaroo bag, rotating chameleon eyes and a prehensile monkey's tail.

Hopefully your story will interest the whole class. And for clarity, print out photos of these exotic fish or, if possible, show them this video. Let the guys see that they are truly unique.

Until next time on the blog "ShkolaLa" and in the heading "Projects"

Success in your studies!

Evgeniya Klimkovich

If you do not live near a warm ocean or water park then you may not have seen seahorses or sea dragons to see how amazing these tiny creatures are. Their long, elongated heads, like those of a horse, give them an almost mythical image. In reality, they are not immortal, and moreover, many die during the storm. Sea "horses" hide with the help of excellent camouflage, long spikes and ribbon-like outgrowths make them invisible in their natural underwater environment.

Seahorses range in size from 2 to 20 centimeters. Seahorses, like deciduous sea dragons and sea needles, carry their offspring in special bags where the female lays eggs. The burden of maternal care falls on. Here with such entertaining and interesting facts as well as amazing pictures of seahorses we invite you to familiarize yourself.

Seahorses (Hippocampus) - delicate and beautiful creatures got their name from the ancient Greek "hippo", which means "horse" and "campos" - "sea monsters". The genus Hippocampus comprises 54 species of marine fish.
The spotted seahorse in the photo is 15 centimeters long and lives up to four years.

Spectacular rainbow seahorse in Hamburg, Germany.

Deciduous sea dragons in the Georgia Aquarium. Sea monsters live off the southern coast of Australia and are masters of disguise. Seemingly harmless, the sea dragon is a real predator - it feeds on small fish and shrimps.

The weedy sea dragon is endangered. Relatives of seahorses suck in tiny prey with small tubular muzzles, sometimes various debris gets there.

Deciduous sea dragons at Birch Aquarium, San Diego, California. They can grow up to 35 cm in length. When males are ready to mate, their leafy tails turn bright yellow.

Black Sea seahorse is a rare sight in shallow waters, Romania.

Deciduous sea dragon in aquarium, Atlanta. In nature, they inhabit the tropical coastal waters of South and Western Australia.

Spiny seahorse(Hippocampus histrix) gets its name from the thorns sticking out of it. Usually inhabits - from 3 to 80 meters. One of the largest species of seahorse and can grow up to 17 cm.

Seahorse in the Oregon Aquarium. Sea Horses are not good swimmers. The other is the only species of fish where males carry unborn offspring.

Weed sea dragon near the seaweed, Sydney, Australia. Brown algae and reefs serve as a good camouflage and protection from predators for them.

Seemingly pregnant seahorses, but they are not. Pot-bellied seahorses(Hippocampus abdominalis) is a separate species and one of the largest, can reach a length of 35 cm.

The spiny seahorse, like most of its brethren, is threatened with extinction. The human appetite for exotic fish is growing, because the skates were included in the list of fish under the protection of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Deciduous sea dragons, like their cousins, weed dragons are very caring fathers. They carry offspring on themselves. The newly born fry immediately become independent.

Pipefish another distant relative of seahorses. This creature has a longer, straighter body with tiny mouths.

Another of the relatives of seahorses at Wilhelm Zoo, Germany.

Macro photography of gray and yellow seahorses at the Zurich Zoo. When eating or interacting with other congeners, these fish make a “clicking” sound.

Seems love between them ...

Deciduous sea dragons dance at the Dallas Aquarium. The only working fins are on the chest and back, so sea dragons are not very fast - 150 meters per hour. Individuals were observed that spent up to 68 hours in one place.

The pygmy seahorse camouflages itself well against the backdrop of soft coral near Cebu, Philippines. Pygmies reach a maximum length of 2.4 cm. Living area from southern Japan to northern Australia in reef areas at a depth of 10-40 meters.

Sea needle - Solenostomus paradoxus - off the coast of Thailand. Close relatives of seahorses come in a variety of colors and sizes, from 2.5 to 50 cm.

Great disguise.

Weed sea dragons close-up. Left: Weed Dragon Shelly Beach, Australia, Right: Eggs on male dragonflies.

Morning mating dances of seahorses.

The skinny body of a weed dragon "flies" through the water. The body of the sea dragon and its color develops based on the environment, food.

The skinny and toothless marine needle has a serpentine body.

Seahorses are gluttonous. The absence of a stomach and teeth makes them constantly eat. In this regard, they consume up to 50 shrimp per day.

Before mating, the courtship ritual of seahorses lasts several days. Rarely do couples stay for life, most stay together only during the mating season.