Species: Hippocampus zosterae, Dwarf Seahorse

Hippocampus zosterae Jordan & Gilbert, 1882

Dwarf Seahorse

Neck curved, with head at about right angle to body; crown on top of head a high column or knob that lacks spines or projections; snout very short (23% of head length); eye large; dorsal fin large, its base elevated, 12 (10-13) rays; pectorals (11-12 rays) and anal small; no pelvic fins; tail prehensile, curlable, without a tail fin; body spines are low knobs; skin often covered with tiny warts; 9-10 trunk rings; 31-32 tail rings; brood pouch on trunk, but extends along 5-7 tail rings.

Color variable: mottled or not; some fish nearly all black; may be green; with whitish lines radiating from eye; a dark band along rear edge of dorsal fin.

Reaches 2.5 cm.

Lives in seagrass and macroalgal beds.

Depth range: 0.5-21 m.

Bermuda to the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Mexico.