---
title: "What the sources say about the Thorny Seahorse | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "36 claims from the Thorny Seahorse profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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# What the sources say about the Thorny Seahorse (*Hippocampus histrix*)

> 36 claims from the Thorny Seahorse profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Thorny Seahorse](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/thorny-seahorse/)

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

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2017-3.rlts.t10070a54905206.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Vulnerable | IUCN Red List category: Vulnerable (VU). |
| The IUCN rates the species Vulnerable | IUCN Red List category: Vulnerable (VU). (note: Assessed 2017; category read via GBIF's copy of the Red List, taxon id matches the DOI.) |

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

https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/2696

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A seahorse with extremely sharp spines, a crown on its head and fathers that carry the babies. | Spines 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 |
| Hard and soft bottoms, often with soft corals or sponges, at 10 to 95 m in the tropical and subtropical Western Pacific and Australian waters | Recorded 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 |
| Presumably small crustaceans and other planktonic organisms | this species presumably preys on small crustaceans and other planktonic organisms |
| Males carry the eggs in a brood pouch, where they fertilize, aerate and osmoregulate the embryos. | The male not only fertilizes the eggs inside the pouch and provides physical protection for the developing embryos, he also osmoregulates and aerates the embryos |
| carries spines that Museums Victoria describes as very elongate and extremely sharp, often tipped in black | Spines very elongate, extremely sharp ... tips of spines often black |
| Five more spines crown the top of its head | Coronet of moderate height, large, with 5 elongate divergent spines on apex |
| Its height tops out at 150 mm, about 6 inches | Height to 150 mm (note: 150 mm is 5.9 in) |
| The female uses an ovipositor, an egg-laying tube, to place her eggs in a pouch under the male's belly | The female uses an ovipositor to transfer her eggs into an elaborate enclosed pouch under the abdomen of the male. |
| The male fertilizes them, aerates them and regulates their salt balance. He may also give them some nourishment until they are born | The 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. |
| Fishes of Australia says it presumably preys on small crustaceans and other planktonic organisms | this species presumably preys on small crustaceans and other planktonic organisms |
| Its base colour is highly variable to match its surroundings, from cream to grey, greenish, yellow or brown to burgundy-red | Base colour highly variable to match surroundings, from cream to grey, greenish, yellow or brown to burgundy-red |
| It lives on both hard and soft bottoms, often attached to soft corals or sponges at 10 to 95 m, usually below 15 m | Inhabits areas with both hard and soft bottoms, often attached to soft corals or sponges at 10-95 m, usually below 15 m. |
| The range covers the tropical and subtropical Western Pacific, including Bali, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and Japan | Elsewhere the species occurs in the tropical and subtropical Western Pacific, from Bali, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and Japan. |
| In 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 | Recorded in Australia from south of Ashmore Reef, Timor Sea, the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, and in Port Stephens, New South Wales. |
| Museums Victoria notes that H. histrix has often been used for many spiny seahorses, making them look widespread when they have relatively restricted ranges | The 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. |
| It 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 | Rarely 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 female transfers her eggs into an enclosed pouch on the male's abdomen, and he fertilizes them inside it | The 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 |
| Fishes 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 | provides physical protection for the developing embryos, he also osmoregulates and aerates the embryos and may provide some nourishment until the offfspring are born. |
| Museums Victoria describes its spines as very elongate and extremely sharp | Spines very elongate, extremely sharp ... tips of spines often black (note: vibe.reason) |

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

https://projectseahorse.org/saving-seahorses/seahorse-faqs/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| seahorse height is measured from the tail tip to the top of the crown | Seahorse heights are measured from the tip of the tail to the top of the coronet. |
| Project Seahorse says natural seahorse lifespans are virtually unknown, with most estimates coming from captivity | The natural lifespans of seahorses are virtually unknown, with most estimates coming from captive observations |
| Known 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 | Known 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. |
| Seahorses have no stomach and no teeth | Seahorses have no stomach or teeth. |
| They suck prey through a tubular snout and pass it through an inefficient digestive system | they suck their prey in through a tubular snout (a fused jaw) and pass it through an inefficient digestive system |
| Project Seahorse writes that seahorse pregnancy lasts about two weeks to one month | Pregnancy lasts about two weeks to one month |
| most males give birth to around 100 to 200 babies | Most males give birth to around 100-200 babies |
| Newborns of most species measure between 7 and 12 mm | Newborns of most species measure between 7 and 12 mm. |
| Seahorses 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 | They are more adapted to maneuverability than speed, and therefore rely more on camouflage to avoid detection from predators than speed for escape. |
| Project Seahorse says adult seahorses are presumed to have few predators due to their excellent camouflage, sedentary lifestyle and unappetizing bony plates and spines | Adult seahorses are presumed to have few predators due to their excellent camouflage, sedentary lifestyle, and unappetizing bony plates and spines. |
| Each eye moves independently, allowing the seahorse to maximize its search area | Each eye moves independently, allowing the seahorse to maximize its search area. |
| seahorses have still been found in the stomachs of large pelagic fishes such as tuna and dorado | However, they have been found in the stomachs of large pelagic fishes such as tuna and dorado. |
| It waits until prey come close enough, then sucks them quickly out of the water with its long snout | They are opportunistic predators, waiting until prey come close enough and then sucking them quickly out of the water with their long snouts. |
| Project 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 | They will ingest anything small enough to fit into the mouth (mostly small crustaceans such as amphipods, but also fish fry and other invertebrates). |
| adult seahorses are presumed to have few predators thanks to their camouflage and unappetizing bony plates and spines | Adult seahorses are presumed to have few predators due to their excellent camouflage, sedentary lifestyle, and unappetizing bony plates and spines. (note: vibe.reason) |