Hippocampus barbouri

(Jordan & Richardson, 1908)

Vernacular names

English : Barbour’s seahorse
French : Hippocampe de Barbour

Classification

Class : Teleostei
Order : Syngnathiformes
Family : Syngnathidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification

Adults can reach 15 cm but are generally around 8 cm long. Long snout, horn-like warts on head, back and flanks. Coloration is cream to pinkish with dots and wavy lines on flanks and head. Mouth has transversal dark lines.

Range and habitat

The species occurs in Central western Pacific around Sulu Sea, from Philippines to Sumatra, Borneo and Java. Mostly found around coral reefs at depths between 6 and 12 meters.

Conservation

IUCN RED LIST : VULNERABLE
CITES : Appendix II
Status : The species’ populations are declining because of destruction of coral reefs and overfishing as it’s popular in Chinese medicine and aquarium trade.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation