Thorny Seahorse

Hippocampus histrix

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

The thorny seahorse (Hippocampus histrix) is a long-snouted seahorse covered in sharp, often dark-tipped spines. Its colour ranges from yellow and orange to brown or pink.

It grows to about 15 cm and anchors itself with its tail while sucking up small crustaceans. As in all seahorses, the male carries the eggs in a brood pouch until they hatch.

In the Philippines it is found on sandy and rubble slopes, often in deeper water, and is listed as Vulnerable due to collection and bycatch.