Lined Seahorse

Overview

This seahorse's small size allows it to explore seagrass beds, where it searches for food and finds blades of grass on which to anchor for rest and protection. Both males and females vary in color and can be yellow, brown, orange, gray, red or black, typically with white lines across the body that allow them to blend into their reef habitats. This camouflage coloration, along with their bony body, helps to protect the lined seahorse from predators. Some individuals also have fleshy tabs, giving them a frilled appearance.

Seahorses have an intimate courtship. They hold tails, swim snout to snout, and engage in a courtship dance. The female deposits eggs into the male's pouch, where he fertilizes them and carries the eggs to term. Seahorses have monogamous relationships, and the male cares for the unhatched eggs, regulating the conditions inside the pouch where the eggs are stored.