Potbelly Seahorse
Exhibits: Global Connections
Animal Groups: Fish
Latin Name: Hippocampus abdominalis
Other Names: Big-belly seahorse
Diet:
Seahorses eat plankton and small crustaceans that they slurp from the water column through their long snout.
Habitat:
Shallow warm waters off the coasts of New Zealand and Australia. Found among rocky coral reefs and seaweed beds.
Animal Size: Maximum size: 12 inches (35 cm)
Conservation Status: Data deficient
Natural History
Seahorses are the only fish with a neck! They are also unique in that the male fish houses and hatches the eggs in an internal pouch. The young seahorses are born fully formed as miniature versions of the adults. Hundreds of young may hatch at the same time.