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Report about the seahorse
Sea Horses belong to the class bony fish. There are about 50 species in total. Dimensions seahorses can be from 2 to 30 cm, depending on the type. Ordinary sea Horse can live 5 years.
Their body shape is similar chess piece horse Numerous long spines and ribbon-like leathery outgrowths located on the skate’s body make it invisible among the algae and inaccessible to predators.
The habitat of seahorses is tropical and subtropical seas.
Seahorse description
The head of these fish is similar to that of a horse, but there are no scales. Their body is covered with hard bony plates. With its tail bent forward, the seahorse clings to the stems of sea grass like a monkey. A seahorse's eyes rotate in any direction, and if one eye is looking to the right, the other may be looking at something to the left at the same time. This is very convenient for the skate, since it can simultaneously inspect the algae from all sides in search of food and keep an eye on the enemies, who themselves would not mind eating it.
The seahorse does not like to swim and spends most of its life with its tail caught in algae. Swims slowly and only in search of food, during weddings and to escape from enemies.
It's interesting to watch a seahorse swim. A large swim bladder located in the skate's head helps it maintain an upright position. It does not move horizontally, but jerks up and down, moving diagonally in the direction of the target.
What do seahorses eat?
Seahorses lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle, feeding on plankton and small invertebrates.
Reproduction of seahorses
These animals also have an unusual method of reproduction. When the eggs reach the desired stage, the females begin to compete with each other for male attention. Having achieved favor, the female lays part of the eggs in a special sac, which is located on the male’s abdomen. There the eggs are fertilized. The male carries the eggs until the young hatch. There can be from 2 to 1000 individuals. If many cubs are born, their father may even die. During the breeding season, fry hatch every 4 weeks. Immediately after birth, they are left to their own devices.
Interesting facts about seahorses
- The pipit is very bony, so it is hunted only by large land crabs that can digest it.
- Seahorses' eyes are similar to those of chameleons and can move independently of each other;
- The seahorse is a master of camouflage. Their scales can become “invisible” - merge with the environment;
- Their mouth works like a vacuum cleaner - they suck up plankton to eat.
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IN depths of the sea ah there are many unusual and interesting creatures, among which special attention seahorses deserve.
Seahorses, or scientifically called hypocampus, are small bony fish of the pipefish family. Today there are about 30 species, which differ in size and appearance. “Height” ranges from 2 to 30 centimeters, and the colors come in a wide variety.
Skates do not have scales, but they are protected by a hard bony shell. Only a land crab can bite through and digest such “clothes,” so underwater predators usually don’t find skates interesting, and they hide in such a way that any needle in a haystack would be jealous.
Another interesting feature of skates is their eyes: like a chameleon, they can move independently of each other.
Like a fish in water? No, it's not about them
Unlike other inhabitants of the sea, pipits swim in a vertical position, this is possible due to the presence of a large longitudinal swim bladder. By the way, they are very inept swimmers. The dorsal fin is small and makes fairly fast movements, but this does not give much speed, and the pectoral fins serve mainly as rudders. Most of the time, the seahorse hangs motionless in the water, catching its tail on algae.
Every day is stressful
Seahorses live in tropical and subtropical seas and prefer clear, calm water. The greatest danger for them is strong rolling, which can sometimes lead to complete exhaustion. Seahorses are generally very susceptible to stress. In an unfamiliar environment, they get along poorly, even if there is enough food; in addition, the cause of death can be the loss of a partner.
There's no such thing as too much food
The seahorse has a primitive digestive system, no teeth or stomach, so in order not to starve, the creature has to constantly eat. By their feeding method, skates are predators. When it’s time for a snack (almost always), they cling to the algae with their tails and suck surrounding water, which contains plankton.
Unusual family
Family relationships among skates are also very peculiar. The female always chooses the other half. When she sees a suitable candidate, she invites him to dance. Several times the pair rises to the surface and falls again. The main task of the male is to be hardy and keep up with his girlfriend. If he slows down, the capricious lady will immediately find another gentleman, but if the test is passed, the couple begins to mate.
Seahorses are monogamous, meaning they choose a partner for life and even sometimes swim with their tails tied together. The offspring is carried by the male, and by the way, these are the only creatures on the planet that experience “male pregnancy.”
The mating dance can last about 8 hours. In the process, the female places the eggs in a special pouch on the male’s belly. This is where miniature seahorses will form over the next 50 days.
From 5 to 1500 cubs will be born, only 1 in 100 will survive to sexual maturity. It seems small, but this figure is actually one of the highest among fish.
Why are seahorses becoming extinct?
Seahorses are small, peace-loving fish that have suffered greatly due to their bright and unusual appearance. People catch them for various purposes: for making gifts, souvenirs, or for preparing expensive exotic dishes that cost about $800 per serving. In Asia, medicines are made from dried seahorses. 30 species out of 32 existing ones are listed in the Red Book.
The seahorse is an amazing and unusual representative of tropical waters. His appearance and some features of life differ from representatives of the marine environment. Among connoisseurs of such individuals, a common question is: is a seahorse a fish or an animal? The answer to it is simple - the individual belongs to the animal kingdom and the class of Ray-finned fish. After many years of research, scientists have proven that the animal is a close relative of the pipefish.
The seahorse belongs to the animal kingdom and the class of ray-finned fish
General information
Since the animal is considered a highly modified species of pipefish, it belongs to the order Aciliformes. The unusual body of the skate really resembles a chess piece. Perhaps this was the reason to give the animal such a name.
IN natural environment The pipit can be found in subtropical and tropical waters around the world. Salty and maximum pure water - best condition for his comfortable stay. The size of the seahorse is small and ranges from 2 to 30−32 cm. It is quite rare to find individuals that reach 35 cm in length.
There are many theories about where the seahorse lives, as it has been seen in different parts of the world. Most often the animal can be found in water bodies of Australia, sometimes England. Sometimes individual species are found in the Azov and Black Seas. It prefers to stay close to the bottom and uses algae as cover, camouflaging itself in their thickets and changing color according to the color they are painted in.
The seahorse prefers to be at the bottom of the reservoir and hide in the algae
The body of the fish is covered with a very hard and bony shell., which protects against negative influences environment. Often the body has spines of different lengths and shapes, some are covered with long ribbon-like processes different color. Surprisingly, this fish has no scales. A special feature of the structure will be the head, since it is very firmly attached to the body and does not rotate. If the horse wants to look back, it turns its whole body or bulges its eyes.
Each eye moves separately from the other. This feature is also inherent in chameleons, which can rotate each eye separately in a circle. There is some debate about how long seahorses live, as they usually live up to 4 years, but in some cases you can find representatives who live up to 6 years.
Another feature of the fish is its vertical position in the water. This is possible due to the fact that the swim bladder is divided into two sections by a thin septum and allows it to maintain a vertical position.
Popular types
There are about 50 species of seahorses in their natural habitat. Each of them differs in size, appearance and some structural features. The most common are the following:
In Southern Japan you can find dwarf individuals. They are painted in light colors with purple stripes or spots. They camouflage well as corals. They have a body length of no more than 3 cm. They prefer not to descend to a depth of more than 40 meters.
Nutritional Features
Amazing fish are one of the few species that are not hunted by other inhabitants of the deep sea. It's all about the structure of the individuals, in which spines and bone plates predominate. Large predatory fish or other hunters cannot digest such food. The only one who can eat the skate is the sand crab, whose stomach is able to digest what it eats.
The skates themselves feed on plankton.
The favorite delicacy of these unusual fish is baby crayfish and other small fish. Thanks to the amazing ability of the skate to camouflage itself and remain motionless for several hours, it successfully hunts them. It waits for the moment when the victim approaches and sucks it along with water into its mouth.
Seahorses do not have a stomach. That's why they are very gluttonous
Despite their small size, seahorses are very voracious and are capable of hunting and eating for up to 10 hours a day. a large number of small individuals. This is due to the fact that individuals do not have a stomach, so food passes through all sections quite quickly digestive system. If you keep them in captivity, Several feeding rules should be followed:
- Captive-bred specimens are capable of feeding on dead daphnia, shrimp and other small specimens, as well as dry fish food.
- The food should only be fresh.
- Individuals should be fed regularly, but avoid overeating, as in captivity this can cause a variety of diseases.
It is possible to install a variety of feeders in which food is placed. A few days after installing such an innovation, the individuals themselves will understand that this is a new place for eating. Several long rods or sticks should be installed near the feeders so that the skates can cling to them while eating.
Reproduction of seahorses
Unusual fish lead a sedentary lifestyle and are in one place almost all the time. In case of danger, they can develop decent speed or are attached to big fish so that they could move them to a safer place.
The fish is faithful and throughout his life prefers to be close to one partner. Only in rare cases does a female or male change her life partner. The most incredible thing will be the fact that in a married couple the male bears the offspring. After the start of spawning, the couple performs a certain mating dance for a long time. After this, the female transfers the eggs to a special pocket, which is located on the male’s belly.
After 2 weeks of gestation, the fry emerge from the pocket, are already independent and immediately set off for free swimming. Different kinds Pipits are distinguished by their fertility and can lay from 5 to 2000 eggs at a time.
Breeding skates in captivity is quite difficult and an aquarium hobbyist will not be able to cope with it. Despite the fact that individuals are quite popular among aquarists, keeping them in an artificial environment has many nuances. If the conditions are not met, they begin to get sick and die.
Currently seahorses different types are on the verge of extinction. This is due to the fact that in many countries fish is considered an expensive delicacy and is caught on an industrial scale. In some regions of Australia and Asia, skates are used as raw materials for the preparation of various ointments and medications.
ABOUT healing properties Humanity has known the meat of this amazing fish since ancient times and included it in many dishes. However, then amateur fishing could not significantly reduce the number of individuals. Now, catching has really become a problem, as it is gradually leading to the complete disappearance of the species.
The Black Sea seahorse is an indigenous inhabitant of the Black Sea, having formed into a separate species about 20 million years ago. Nature rewarded him with an original appearance, and in the course of evolution, unique capabilities and skills appeared that were inaccessible to other inhabitants. underwater world. Human actions have brought the pipits to the brink of extinction, forcing biologists to include them in the Red Book.
Description
In biological encyclopedias, the Black Sea seahorse is called Hippocampus guttulatus (long-snouted seahorse) and belongs to the class of ray-finned fish. His top part similar to a chess “horse”, and the elongated tubular mouth-pump (a third of the length of the head) only enhances the similarity. The head is located perpendicular to the body and can move up/down, which other types of fish are not able to do. The eyes work independently of each other, and the viewing angle reaches 300 degrees.
The seahorse's body is elongated and slightly flattened laterally and is constantly in an upright position due to a double air bladder, the upper section of which is smaller than the lower one. It ends with a long and flexible tail without a blade-fin, capable of curling into a ring. Their skates cling to algae, hiding from danger or ambushing prey.
Sea Horse
Photo: http://zapcity.fr
For protective purposes, the body of the skate is covered with horny plates, spines of various lengths and growths that serve additional means camouflage in algae thickets. The shell is highly durable and does not lose its properties even after drying. Having a brownish-yellow color with small white dots, they are able to change color, adapting to their surroundings.
Seahorses swim vertically and not very quickly, making up to 70 “strokes” per second with their dorsal fin, helping themselves with oscillatory movements of the body and tail. Under the head there are two more small fins, corresponding in their functions to the pectoral fins in fish of “standard” shapes.
Male seahorses are usually larger and grow up to 20-21 centimeters, females up to 17-18. The usual life expectancy does not exceed 4-5 years.
Habitats and food
The seahorse lives in the waters of the Black, Azov and Mediterranean seas, off the eastern shores Atlantic Ocean, from the Netherlands to the African coast. It chooses places with a depth of up to 20 meters, with the obligatory presence of underwater vegetation, where it spends about 90% of its life, setting up ambushes and hiding from predators. Prefers waters without strong currents.
They mostly live in small groups of 3-5 individuals, almost never gathering in large numbers. But they can also create couples for life, especially living in artificial conditions aquariums. Moreover, if one of the partners dies, the second one grieves very much, which is noticeable by a change in behavior, and may also die.
“Seed pair” of seahorses Photo: https://c2.staticflickr.com
The seahorse feeds using a mouth-pump, drawing in food along with water at great speed, from distances of up to 4 centimeters. Its food consists of small benthic inhabitants of the sea, crustaceans, fish fry, and plankton, which it catches from ambush in algae. It is worth noting the appetite of animals that “lunch” at least 5 times a day and are able to do this for up to 10 hours a day.
Interesting fact: seahorses bear and give birth to males, not females.
Spawning
Unlike most animals, males are responsible for the reproduction of seahorses, who bear and “feed” the eggs and give birth to offspring. At the same time, females carefully choose their future father, and their mating dances can last 3 days. At this time, the pipits swim into shallow water (up to 4 meters), swim together, periodically rising to the surface, exchange songs of clicking sounds and even “kiss”, touching with their pumping mouths.
Seahorse in the waters of the Black Sea Photo: wikimedia.org
When foreplay ends, the female lays eggs (depending on size, from 10 to 650 eggs). For this purpose, in the lower part of the male’s abdominal cavity there is an egg sac-pocket, pierced circulatory system to supply oxygen to developing larvae. After filling (sometimes the pipit accepts eggs from several females), its seam closes and closes, and the “father” carries out internal fertilization of the eggs.
Gestation of eggs occurs for about 4-5 weeks. All this time the seahorse is in shallow water, without leaving square meter his “personal” area where he hunts and hides. This is his territory, from where even “frivolous” females leave in order to provide the “nursing father” with a sufficient amount of food.
After the formation of the fry, completely ready for independent life, difficult labor begins - the male can squirm for up to 2 days, trying to open the birth sac. Sometimes it ends with his death. If everything went well, the small skates crawl out of the pocket and rise to the surface for a breath of air (to fill the air bladder), then return to the “dad”. For some time they live next to him, hiding in a “bag” in case of danger, but soon they swim away and never return.
Use of seahorses
Seahorses are used by humans in several areas, one of which is aesthetic. Vacationers willingly buy these original species of animals as souvenirs. Black Sea coast, or they are trying to “domesticate” them by planting them in an aquarium. In the second case, death is also almost inevitable, since the skates do not tolerate changes well, especially if their “half” remains in the sea.
Sea Horse Another area where seahorses are widely used is ethnoscience, especially among the peoples of Asia. According to traditional healers, medicines from animals help in the treatment of baldness, skin diseases, atherosclerosis, cough and asthma. The drugs are especially popular in the treatment of impotence and sexual dysfunctions. The ability to bind harmful carcinogens and toxic substances in the human body is also noted, which helps in the prevention of cancer.
The seahorse is a genus of small marine bony fish of the pipefish family of the order Acutes. The number of species of seahorses is about 50. Unusual shape The body of the skate resembles a chess piece of a knight. Numerous long spines and ribbon-like leathery outgrowths located on the skate’s body make it invisible among the algae and inaccessible to predators. Seahorses range in size from 2 to 30 cm, depending on the species to which a particular individual belongs. Interesting feature seahorse is that the male bears the offspring.
The taxonomy of the seahorse is very confusing due to the unique ability of these fish to change their appearance - color and even body shape. The closest relatives of seahorses are small fish - pipefish, which have much in common in the structure of the body with skates. However, the body shape and manner of movement in the water of sea “horses” is completely unusual.
The body of seahorses in water is located unconventionally for fish - vertically or diagonally. The reason for this is the relatively large swim bladder, most of which is located in the upper part of the seahorse's body. Confuse these graceful and colorful fish, similar to jewelry or toys, is impossible with any inhabitant of the water element.
The body of a seahorse is not covered with scales, but with bony plates. Spiked armor protects them from danger. The armor is so strong that it is almost impossible to break even from a dried-up dead belly. However, in its shell it is so light and fast that it literally floats in the water, and its body shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow - from orange to bluish blue, from lemon yellow to fiery red. In terms of brightness of color, it is worthy to compare this fish with tropical birds and brightly colored coral reef fish.
These fish live in tropical and subtropical zones. Their range encircles the entire globe. Seahorses live in shallow waters among seagrass beds or among corals. These are sedentary and generally very sedentary fish. Typically, seahorses wrap their tail around a branch of coral or a tuft of sea grass and spend most of their time in this position. But large sea dragons do not know how to attach to vegetation. On short distances they swim holding their body vertically; if they have to leave the “home”, they can swim in an almost horizontal position. They swim slowly. In general, the character of these fish is surprisingly calm and meek; seahorses do not show aggression towards their fellow fish and other fish.
They feed on plankton. They track the smallest crustaceans by rolling their eyes funny. As soon as the prey approaches the miniature hunter, the seahorse inflates its cheeks, creating negative pressure in the mouth and sucks up the crustacean like a vacuum cleaner. Despite their small size, skates are big eaters and can indulge in gluttony for up to 10 hours a day.
Seahorses have only three small fins: the dorsal one helps to swim forward, and two gill fins maintain vertical balance and serve as a rudder.
In a moment of danger, seahorses can significantly accelerate their movement, flapping their fins up to 35 times per second (some scientists even put the figure at 70). They are also masterful at vertical maneuvers. By changing the volume of the swim bladder, these fish move up and down in a spiral. However, seahorses are not capable of swimming rapidly - they are considered record holders for the slowest swimming among famous fish. Most of the time, the seahorse hangs motionless in the water, its tail hooked on algae, coral, or even the neck of a relative.
Skates can ride “astride” fish. Thanks to their curved tail, seahorses can travel long distances. They grab onto the fins of the perch and hold on until the fish swims into the algae thickets. And the skates grab their mate with their tail and swim in an embrace.
Seahorses have large eyes and quite sharp vision. Their tail is curved toward the belly, and their heads are decorated with horns of various shapes.
The skates' eyes move independently of one another. The seahorse's organ of vision is similar to the eyes of a chameleon. One eye of these fish can look forward, and the other can see what is happening behind.
Seahorses have the ability to change the color of their bodies, which allows them to skillfully camouflage themselves in thickets and among the bottom landscape. A lurking seahorse is almost impossible to spot in ambush unless you look extremely closely. The ability to camouflage is necessary for seahorses both for protection and for successful hunting, because they are active predators.
In the seas washing the shores of Russia, seahorses are represented by only two or three species - the Black Sea seahorse: found in the Black Sea and Seas of Azov, as well as the Japanese seahorse living in the Sea of Japan. Occasionally in the Black Sea you can find a long-faced seahorse, common in the seas of the Mediterranean basin. For permanent residence, seahorses choose quieter places; They do not like stormy currents and noisy tidal waves.
Seahorses are monogamous fish; they live in married pairs, but can periodically change partners. It is characteristic that these fish carry eggs, with males and females changing roles. IN mating season in females, a tube-shaped ovipositor grows, and in the male, thickened folds in the tail area form a pouch. Before spawning, partners perform a long mating dance.
The female lays eggs in the male's pouch and he carries them for about 2 weeks. Newborn fry emerge from the pouch through a narrow opening. Sea dragons They do not have bags and carry eggs on the stem of the tail. The fertility of different species ranges from 5 to 1500 fry. Newborn fish are completely independent and move away from the parent pair.
Among the seahorses there are also very small representatives, a couple of centimeters in size, and there are also, of a sort, giants up to 30 centimeters long. The smallest species, the pygmy seahorse, is found in the Gulf of Mexico. Its length does not exceed four centimeters. In Black and Mediterranean seas You can find a long-faced or spotted seahorse, the length of which reaches 12-18 centimeters. The most famous are representatives of the species Hippocampus kuda, which lives off the coast of Indonesia. Seahorses of this species, about 14 centimeters long, are brightly and variegatedly colored, some with speckles, others with stripes. The largest seahorses are found near Australia.
The life expectancy of seahorses is, on average, 3-4 years. The extreme vitality of these fish is known - once removed from the water, they can live for several hours and return to normal life if they are released into their native element.
Natural enemies seahorses have few - its body is extremely bony and covered with bony formations. Therefore, it is hunted only by a large land crab, which is capable of digesting such difficult-to-digest prey. Seahorses are not dangerous to humans. This is a peaceful, harmless fish, and also very small.
The greatest danger to seahorses is man himself. Nowadays, seahorses are on the verge of extinction - their numbers are rapidly declining. 30 species of seahorses out of 32 are listed in the Red Book. known to science. There are many reasons for this, and one of them is the massive catching of skates off the coast of Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and the Philippines. The exotic appearance of the fish has meant that people use them as souvenirs and gifts.
A separate point in the decline in seahorse populations is the fact that the taste of these fish is extremely valued by gourmets. Seahorse liver and caviar are considered a delicacy, although they have some laxative properties. A seahorse dish costs up to $800 per serving in some restaurants.
A huge number of seahorses (according to some estimates - up to 80 million seahorses per year) are used in countries Pacific region Asia and Australia for the production of medicines and drugs. These medications are used as pain relievers, for coughs and asthma, and also as a remedy for impotence. IN last years this Far Eastern “Viagra” has become popular in Europe. People have known about the healing properties of seahorse meat since ancient times. Seahorses have been used to prepare various medicines and potions in many countries.
It is not very easy to keep seahorses in aquariums; they are demanding of food and are susceptible to disease, but it is very interesting to watch them.
Seahorses can sing. During mating games they perform peculiar dances around their partners and accompany themselves with clicking sounds, the tempo of which can vary.
Based on anatomical, molecular and genetic studies, the seahorse has been identified as a highly modified pipefish. Fossilized remains of seahorses are quite rare. The most studied fossils of the species Hippocampus guttulatus (synonym - H. ramulosus) from the formations of the Marecchia River (Italian province of Rimini). These finds are dated to the Lower Pliocene (about 3 million years ago). The earliest seahorse fossils are believed to be two Middle Miocene spinyfish species, Hippocampus sarmaticus and Hippocampus slovenicus, discovered in Slovenia. Their age is estimated at 13 million years. According to the molecular clock method, the seahorse and pipefish species diverged in the late Oligocene. There is a theory that this genus appeared in response to the emergence of large areas of shallow waters, which was caused by tectonic events. The appearance of vast shallows led to the spread of algae, and, as a result, the animals living in this environment.