Animaliaanimals
Identification
Hippocampus abdominalis (large seahorse)
Location
aquarium specimen, not recorded
Caption
The pot-bellied seahorse, also known as the big-belly seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis), is one of the largest of all seahorse species, growing up to 32 cm (12.6 inches). Both males and females appear bloated in the abdomen compared to other seahorses. The male (on right side of photo) has a very prominent, light-colored abdomen, typically looking as swollen as males of other species in the latter stages of pregnancy. Their skin texture appears very smooth in comparison to most other species. Other examples of sexual dimorphism include heavier markings on the male, a shorter, thicker snout, and a proportionally longer tail than the female.
- Subject
- Live Animal
- Type
- Photo
- Anatomy
- Coloration/Patterning :: Disruptive Coloration (Spots/Stripes)
- Anatomy
- Female
- Anatomy
- Male
- Life Stages And Gender
- Adult/Sexually Mature
- Behaviors
- Reproduction :: Mate Tending
- Anatomy
- Coloration/Patterning :: Cryptic
Contributors
Jeffrey N. Jeffords (photographer; copyright holder; identification)
Conditions of Use
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.