Severns' Pygmy Seahorse

Hippocampus severnsi

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Syngnathiformes
Family: Syngnathidae
Genus: Hippocampus
Species: Hippocampus severnsi

Severns' pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus severnsi) is a minute, free-living pygmy seahorse that hides among hydroids and algae on reefs and walls. Its colour ranges from tan and brown to pinkish, often with a mottled, textured look.

It grows to only about 1.5 cm. Closely related to Pontoh's pygmy seahorse, it clings to fine growth on rocks and walls and feeds on tiny crustaceans. It is named after underwater photographer Mike Severns.

Severns' pygmy seahorse is found in the western Pacific, including the Philippines, where it is one of the hardest seahorses to spot on reef walls and slopes.

Photo: Jean-Paul Boerekamps, CC0 1.0, via iNaturalist