Seahorse Characteristics

Register to read the introduction… Their extended bodies are surrounded by bony rings with small gill slits (Zubi, 2004). Their fin patterns and distributions are different than those for other bony fish. They have no pelvic fins, small pectoral fins, and one dorsal fin (Zubi, 2004). The pectoral fins turn the Seahorse and aid in steering, while the dorsal fin moves it forward. The coronet of the Seahorse is its most distinctive feature, helping in identification as the thumbprint does for humans (Zubi, 2004). Seahorses are similar to chameleons in that each eye can move independently of the other. The ability of independent eye movement is common to all Syngnathids (Zubi, 2004). The tail of the Seahorse is prehensile, similar to that of a monkey in the rainforest. The prehensile tail allows the Seahorse to hold itself to the underlying substratum and sea grasses and weeds (Tudge, 2000). The male Seahorse has a brood pouch on its ventral surface (Dando, 1996). Depending on the species, Seahorses range in size from 1/4 inch to a foot long (Zubi, 2004). The common Seahorse is 15cm from the crown of its head to the tip of the tail (Dando, 1996).

The common Seahorse is found in the majority of the worldÕs temperate and tropical coastal waters (Kingdom, 1997). Their favorite areas to inhabit are coral reef systems and …show more content…
Those traits that are carried on tend to be advantageous to that animal species. There is a major evolutionary purpose that monogamy provides for the Seahorse. The longer amount of time an act is practiced, then the more perfected it will become. This is just the case in Seahorse reproduction. The longer that a male and female Seahorse stay monogamous with each other, the more perfected their act of reproduction becomes, and the more successful the mother/father team is at producing babies (Kingdom,