Swarms of Seahorses
Would you like a swarm of seahorses? Voila! These juvenile lined seahorse and dwarf seahorse beauties – Hippocampus erectus and Hippocampus zosterae – were popping up in seine nets by the dozens. So were at least two species of pipefish, juvenile permit, seagrass blennies, bay anchovy, juvenile needlefish, juvenile redfish, comb jellies and a wide array of macroalgae.
The orange coloration on the one juvenile H. erectus was truly surprising. I promise you that animal came straight out of the IRL. Before now, I’ve never seen one so strongly colored in the typically dark lagoon. I almost wonder if he’ll make it much past his juvenile-hood.
I’ve see orange and yellow color morphs before in the Gulf of Mexico. Always assumed they were “trying” very hard to look like sponges. There is a species from Brazil that gets a ruddy color.
I was wondering where you found all the seahorses? In Indian River Lagoon? I look for seahorses all the time and never see any. I have seahorses at home and have bred them for a few years now. Reidi species….. Love your site! Also I got a bulletin from you on myspace(where I found abt this site) abt the marine nerd email…where can i sign up or that?
Thanks
The brazilian species that sometimes morphs towards reds is probably the H. reidi that Stacy mentions.
I think the sponge theory is very probable. I forgot about the yellow mass sponges that line deeper water in the lagoon.
Stacy – these were from a site along the Banana River, which is part of the Indian River Lagoon system (of course). I dont often see soooo many H. erectus juveniles, I usually find more H. zosterae, but that’s probably an artifact on my sampling areas which are fairly shallow shoal grass beds.
>Sarah
Thanks Sarah, also did you read the part about the bulletin?? from above comment:
Also I got a bulletin from you on myspace(where I found abt this site) abt the marine nerd email…where can i sign up or that?