SEAHORSES
Clarion angelfish | Arabian angelfish | Queen angelfish | Emperor angelfish | Blue-ringed angelfish

Seahorse image gallery...

	Pygmy seahorse encounters...

click on any image to enlarge
Longsnout,	Tigertail	Longsnout	Thorny	Reunion
Thorny	Unknown	Thorny	Reunion	Lembeh Straits
Hippocampus denise	Hippocampus denise	Hippocampus barbiganti	Hippocampus denise	Hippocampus barbiganti
Int = intermediate | Juv = juvenile

All about seahorses...

An underwater discovery that is a delight for all divers, seahorses are sadly one of the most threatened creatures in the marine world. Adults range from minuscule pygmy seahorses to the one foot long Pacific Seahorse.

They live in both tropical and temperate waters amongst seagrasses, mangroves, corals and estuaries. Sadly, these environments are continually under threat by manmade activities and seahorse populations are in decline. Apart from the destruction to their habitats, thousands of live seahorses are collected for the aquarium trade and many more go to traditional Chinese medicines, some 200 million per year it is said. Unfortunately, seahorses are actually recognised by the World Health Organisation as providing a viable healthcare option.

The good news is that small-scale seahorse conservation initiatives have been established that recognise the needs of communities that depend on seahorses for income and medicines. Projects in the Philippines and Vietnam are experiencing initial success.

Seahorses encounters...

LOCATION: West Papua
DIVE SITE: Pygmy Corner, Momono Bay
DEPTH: 25 metres
SPECIES: Hippocampus Pontohi
COMMON NAME: Weedy pygmy seahorse

IMAGE: H. Pontohi on algae
DIVE LOG: This small chap was first seen in Bunaken waters and as is the way, once noted, the new species seems to crop up everywhere. H. Pontohi was named for Indonesian dive guide, Hence Pontoh who discovered them. This particlular chap was seen in West Papau on a late afternoon dive. He was one of a gang of 8 or 10. Unlike many pygmy seahorses, this one prefers to hang out on algae but the group were very active, propellingthemselves up into the water and across the bommie to another frond. They woudl wait for a few moments then dance around some more. At just 10 or 12 mm long, they were a complete nightmare to photograph.