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Beautiful and adaptable, the strange little tube fish called seahorses are found in waters that have various different temperature and saline content extremes. Seemingly insensitive to different levels of saline these creatures are found in water that contains levels of up to forty percent fresh water at times and even in brackish water occasionally. Using their tails they will snag seaweed hanging on while they drift along in the ocean. This method enables the tiny seahorse to cover vast distances across the ocean floor as they search for food.
Seahorses and other pipefish are able to move through the water using the distinctive motions of their dorsal and anal fins. Typically with bony fish a swimming motion is used that occurs with the undulation of the body but this rarely occurs with the seahorse. In most cases this body unification is only when they are forced to flee quickly from a predator. Even though the seahorses is generally holding on to plant forms they can also swim up and down in vertically and even in spiral motions. Their greatest speeds are produced when they are lying on their back swimming horizontally while extending their tail to maintain their equilibrium.
The seahorse suborder is Syngnathoidei which is divided into families of which the seahorse belongs to the Sngnathidae family. This interesting little fish has an arched back and has no scales. Instead the outer body of the seahorse is covered by bony plates that are arranged in seven longitudinal rows on the trunk with four longitudinal rows found on the tail.
The center of the body of the seahorse has three pairs of lateral ridges with one ridge along the stomach area. It's long, tubular mouth opening has no teeth and although there is no fore covering over the gills, this fish does have small round gill openings. Seahorses are usually spotted in tropical, subtropical and temperate ocean waters although some species have been found that have penetrated into the northern regions. The genus Dorichthys has even been discovered in brackish water and even fresh waters. The seahorse is most often found in algae colonies or coastal seaweed since the species tends to prefer shallow waters that have a muddy floor rich in plant growth or near reefs. Seahorse and other pipefish are known to feed on water fleas, small crustaceans, cyclopids, small fishes and other organisms. A large amount of food is required for this tiny creature whose eyes move independently and protrude so they can easily watch their prey without moving their body or head. When their prey is close the seahorse will slowly bring their snout near the prey before quickly sucking in the prey with a crackling sound. The sound and suction are created when the hybrid arch is retracted and the lower mouth drops down to enlarge the mouth cavity.
The male seahorse has a false stomach which is located under its tail that is considered a true incubation pocket. After spawning which usually takes place between March and August, the female will lay between 80 and 100 eggs in this pouch where they remain until they hatch. The eggs are fertilized by the male seahorse who will makes a spiraling motion around the female. After three to four weeks the tiny transparent larvae will leave the egg and the young seahorses will leave the pouch in a swarm. But if danger is present the male will open the pouch for the young to return to safety.
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