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What
is a seahorse?
A horse like head, a tail like monkey's, a pouch like kangaroo's
and an armored body all combine to make up a fish called seahorse.
Seahorse is a type of bony fish with its body encased in bony
rings. It has no scales and has an upright horse like structure.
The seahorse has a distinct neck and a moveable head shaped
like the figure of knight in chess. It has a small, toothless
mouth at the end of a tubular shout. Its size varies from
2.5 - 15 cm. A waving dorsal fin helps propel the seahorse
as it swim upright.
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Where do seahorses
live?
Seahorses live in tropical and temperate (fairly warm) seas in most
coastal areas that have sea grass beds, mangroves, coral reefs and
estuaries. Worldwide, there are estimated to be approximately 35
species. The areas with highest population of seahorses are Southern
Australia and Tasmania, China and the Philippines.
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What do they eat?
They feed on shrimps.
The myth about seahorse
In seahorse it is the
male that get pregnant as the female passes her eggs into a pouch
on the belly of the male. The male then carries the eggs until they
hatch.
Seahorse is considered to be a cure for almost all ailments because
of the unique character of the male getting pregnant.
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What are the threats to seahorses?
- Due
to the myth that seahorses are a cure for all ailments,
it is
believed that more than 95% seahorses are used in traditional
Chinese medicine as a cure for a number of ailments from
asthma to broken bones and improve general health.
- In
Australia and surrounding nations they are used in the tourist
industry to make souvenirs like key chains etc.
- Aquarium
species collectors and exporters are blasting coral reefs
and destroying mangroves and sea grass meadows .which
are the natural homes of these creatures. Thus habitat.loss
also poses threat to the existence of seahorses.
- Coastal
development that is increasing the marine pollution is also
adding to this threat.
- The
natural threats include competition with other species for
.their food, which is shrimp,
and also storms that make seahorses adrift and ultimately
exhaust them to death.
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What are the steps taken to protect these beautiful creatures
of the sea?
Finding solutions to the depleting seahorses problem is an
important step at present to prevent the seahorses from being
added to the list of endangered species. A convention to address
seahorses conservation was held in 1998 in Chicago, Illinois
to work out ways to coordinate research on the care and management
of seahorses.
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Did you know?
Seahorses can
change their color. This
camouflaging helps them to escape their prey.
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