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What the sources say

Thorny SeahorseHippocampus histrix

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Thorny Seahorse profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 36 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Pollom 2017

Pollom (2017). Hippocampus histrix. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T10070A54905206.

The page saysVulnerable
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Vulnerable (VU).
The page saysThe IUCN rates the species Vulnerable
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Vulnerable (VU).Note: Assessed 2017; category read via GBIF's copy of the Red List, taxon id matches the DOI.

Source
02

Fishes of Australia, Museums Victoria

Thorny Seahorse, Hippocampus histrix. Fishes of Australia, Museums Victoria.

The page saysA seahorse with extremely sharp spines, a crown on its head and fathers that carry the babies.
The source saysSpines very elongate, extremely sharp ... Coronet of moderate height, large, with 5 elongate divergent spines on apex ... The female uses an ovipositor to transfer her eggs into an elaborate enclosed pouch under the abdomen of the male
The page saysHard and soft bottoms, often with soft corals or sponges, at 10 to 95 m in the tropical and subtropical Western Pacific and Australian waters
The source saysRecorded in Australia ... Elsewhere the species occurs in the tropical and subtropical Western Pacific ... Inhabits areas with both hard and soft bottoms, often attached to soft corals or sponges at 10-95 m
The page saysPresumably small crustaceans and other planktonic organisms
The source saysthis species presumably preys on small crustaceans and other planktonic organisms
The page saysMales carry the eggs in a brood pouch, where they fertilize, aerate and osmoregulate the embryos.
The source saysThe male not only fertilizes the eggs inside the pouch and provides physical protection for the developing embryos, he also osmoregulates and aerates the embryos
The page sayscarries spines that Museums Victoria describes as very elongate and extremely sharp, often tipped in black
The source saysSpines very elongate, extremely sharp ... tips of spines often black
The page saysFive more spines crown the top of its head
The source saysCoronet of moderate height, large, with 5 elongate divergent spines on apex
The page saysIts height tops out at 150 mm, about 6 inches
The source saysHeight to 150 mmNote: 150 mm is 5.9 in
The page saysThe female uses an ovipositor, an egg-laying tube, to place her eggs in a pouch under the male's belly
The source saysThe female uses an ovipositor to transfer her eggs into an elaborate enclosed pouch under the abdomen of the male.
The page saysThe male fertilizes them, aerates them and regulates their salt balance. He may also give them some nourishment until they are born
The source saysThe male not only fertilizes the eggs inside the pouch and provides physical protection for the developing embryos, he also osmoregulates and aerates the embryos and may provide some nourishment until the offfspring are born.
The page saysFishes of Australia says it presumably preys on small crustaceans and other planktonic organisms
The source saysthis species presumably preys on small crustaceans and other planktonic organisms
The page saysIts base colour is highly variable to match its surroundings, from cream to grey, greenish, yellow or brown to burgundy-red
The source saysBase colour highly variable to match surroundings, from cream to grey, greenish, yellow or brown to burgundy-red
The page saysIt lives on both hard and soft bottoms, often attached to soft corals or sponges at 10 to 95 m, usually below 15 m
The source saysInhabits areas with both hard and soft bottoms, often attached to soft corals or sponges at 10-95 m, usually below 15 m.
The page saysThe range covers the tropical and subtropical Western Pacific, including Bali, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and Japan
The source saysElsewhere the species occurs in the tropical and subtropical Western Pacific, from Bali, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and Japan.
The page saysIn Australia it has been recorded south of Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea, on the Great Barrier Reef and at Port Stephens in New South Wales
The source saysRecorded in Australia from south of Ashmore Reef, Timor Sea, the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, and in Port Stephens, New South Wales.
The page saysMuseums Victoria notes that H. histrix has often been used for many spiny seahorses, making them look widespread when they have relatively restricted ranges
The source saysThe name H. histrix has often been used for many spiny seahorses inhabiting tropical regions, giving the impression that these spiny species are widespread rather than having relatively restricted distributions.
The page saysIt is rarely collected for the aquarium trade due to its preferred habitat in moderately deeper waters, but specimens may be dried and sold in the traditional medicine trade or as curios
The source saysRarely collected for the aquarium trade due to its preferred habitat in moderately deeper waters. Specimens may be dried and sold in the traditional medicine trade or as curios.
The page saysThe female transfers her eggs into an enclosed pouch on the male's abdomen, and he fertilizes them inside it
The source saysThe female uses an ovipositor to transfer her eggs into an elaborate enclosed pouch under the abdomen of the male. The male not only fertilizes the eggs inside the pouch
The page saysFishes of Australia says he then gives the developing embryos physical protection, oxygen and salt control, and may provide some nourishment until the young are born
The source saysprovides physical protection for the developing embryos, he also osmoregulates and aerates the embryos and may provide some nourishment until the offfspring are born.
The page saysMuseums Victoria describes its spines as very elongate and extremely sharp
The source saysSpines very elongate, extremely sharp ... tips of spines often blackNote: vibe.reason

Source
03

Project Seahorse, University of British Columbia and Zoological Society of London

Seahorse FAQs. Project Seahorse, University of British Columbia and Zoological Society of London.

The page saysseahorse height is measured from the tail tip to the top of the crown
The source saysSeahorse heights are measured from the tip of the tail to the top of the coronet.
The page saysProject Seahorse says natural seahorse lifespans are virtually unknown, with most estimates coming from captivity
The source saysThe natural lifespans of seahorses are virtually unknown, with most estimates coming from captive observations
The page saysKnown lifespans across the group run from about one year in the smallest species to an average of three to five years in the larger ones
The source saysKnown lifespans for seahorse species range from about one year in the smallest species to an average of three to five years for the larger species.
The page saysSeahorses have no stomach and no teeth
The source saysSeahorses have no stomach or teeth.
The page saysThey suck prey through a tubular snout and pass it through an inefficient digestive system
The source saysthey suck their prey in through a tubular snout (a fused jaw) and pass it through an inefficient digestive system
The page saysProject Seahorse writes that seahorse pregnancy lasts about two weeks to one month
The source saysPregnancy lasts about two weeks to one month
The page saysmost males give birth to around 100 to 200 babies
The source saysMost males give birth to around 100-200 babies
The page saysNewborns of most species measure between 7 and 12 mm
The source saysNewborns of most species measure between 7 and 12 mm.
The page saysSeahorses in general are more adapted to maneuvering than to speed, and therefore rely on camouflage to avoid predators more than on speed to escape them
The source saysThey are more adapted to maneuverability than speed, and therefore rely more on camouflage to avoid detection from predators than speed for escape.
The page saysProject Seahorse says adult seahorses are presumed to have few predators due to their excellent camouflage, sedentary lifestyle and unappetizing bony plates and spines
The source saysAdult seahorses are presumed to have few predators due to their excellent camouflage, sedentary lifestyle, and unappetizing bony plates and spines.
The page saysEach eye moves independently, allowing the seahorse to maximize its search area
The source saysEach eye moves independently, allowing the seahorse to maximize its search area.
The page saysseahorses have still been found in the stomachs of large pelagic fishes such as tuna and dorado
The source saysHowever, they have been found in the stomachs of large pelagic fishes such as tuna and dorado.
The page saysIt waits until prey come close enough, then sucks them quickly out of the water with its long snout
The source saysThey are opportunistic predators, waiting until prey come close enough and then sucking them quickly out of the water with their long snouts.
The page saysProject Seahorse says seahorses will ingest anything small enough to fit into the mouth, mostly small crustaceans such as amphipods but also fish fry and other invertebrates
The source saysThey will ingest anything small enough to fit into the mouth (mostly small crustaceans such as amphipods, but also fish fry and other invertebrates).
The page saysadult seahorses are presumed to have few predators thanks to their camouflage and unappetizing bony plates and spines
The source saysAdult seahorses are presumed to have few predators due to their excellent camouflage, sedentary lifestyle, and unappetizing bony plates and spines.Note: vibe.reason

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.