Big-belly seahorse

Hippocampus abdominalis · The big-belly seahorse is one of the world's largest seahorses, growing up to 35 cm, and lives in south-eastern Australia and New Zealand.

Also called Pot-bellied seahorse, Eastern potbelly seahorse.

Big-belly seahorse
Photo: Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0
Big-belly seahorse
Photo: Ethmostigmus, CC BY-SA 4.0
Big-belly seahorse
Photo: Benoît Prieur, CC0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderSyngnathiformes
FamilySyngnathidae
GenusHippocampus
SpeciesHippocampus abdominalis

Where it lives

Shallow reefs, seagrass and harbours of southeastern Australia and New Zealand.

Fun facts

  • Each eye of a big-belly seahorse moves separately, which helps it spot both food and predators.
  • Adult big-belly seahorses eat 30 to 50 times a day if food is available.
  • Big-belly seahorses have no stomach or teeth, so they suck up tiny animals through their snouts with a flick of the head.
  • Big-belly seahorses make little "click" sounds while feeding, and females click more often than males.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).