Latin Name: Hippocampus barbouri
Common Name: Barbour’s Seahorse
Max length: 15.0 cm
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; It is a non-migratory species
Native Countries: Indonesia; (Sabah) and Philippines
Habitat: Occurs in shallow seagrass habitat and on coral reefs
Colours: White, pale yellow to pale brown; the body contains reddish brown spots and lines and the snout often has a distinctive zebra pattern around it.

Latin Name: Hippocampus bargibanti
Common Name: Bargibant’s Seahorse
Max length: 2.4 cm
Environment: Marine; reef-associated, often found on seafans; It is a non-migratory species with a depth range of 16 – 40 m
Native Countries: (Queensland); Indonesia; New Caledonia; Papua New Guinea and Philippines
Habitat: Very Specific habitat, is only known to occur on gorgonian coral.
Colours: Found in two colours; Pale grey or purple with pink or red tubercles and yellow with orange tubercles

Latin Name: Hippocampus abdominalis
Common Name: Big-belly or Pot-Belly Seahorse
Max length: 35.0 cm
Environment: Found in Marine and brackish water. It is a migratory species at different times of the year depending on the weather and day length.
Native Countries: (New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria) Australia and New Zealand
Habitat: Found in shallow water among seagrass, macroalgal stands, on open sand and in rocky reefs. Found in deeper water in the winter attached to colonial hydroids and sponges. They are also known to live among manmade objects such as harbours
Colour: White, yellow, brown, dark spots found on the head and body

Latin Name: Hippocampus minotaur
Common Name: Bullneck Seahorse
Max length: 5.0 cm
Environment: Marine species; It is a non-migratory species with a depth range 64 – 100 m
Native Country: (New South Wales, Victoria) Australia
Habitat: Found on sandy or hard seabeds amongst small rocks and stones.

Latin Name: Hippocampus capensis
Common Name: Knysna Seahorse
Max length: 12.1 cm
Environment: Found in Marine and brackish water. It is a non-migratory species and its fry have a preference to drop to the seabed rather than drift in the plankton layer when they are born, they tend to be a benthic species
Native Country: South Africa and Kenya
Habitat: Most commonly found in submerged vegetative habitats, is also found attached to sponges.
Colour: Either greenish or brownish

Latin Name: Hippocampus coronatus
Common Name: Crowned Seahorse
Max length: 10.8 cm
Environment: Marine, demersal species that is non-migratory
Native Country: Japan
Habitat: Found amongst Sargassum a brown macroalgae seaweed, which in some parts of the world form floating mats at the surface of the sea.
Colour: Yellowish/Brown

Latin Name: Hippocampus denise
Common Name: Denise’s Seahorse
Max length: 2.2 cm
Environment: Marine species which is non-migratory
Native Countries: Indonesia; Malaysia; Palau; Solomon Islands and Vanuatu
Habitat: Very specific habitat, only found on gorgonian corals
Colour: Orange in colour

Latin Name: Hippocampus zosterae
Common Name: Dwarf Seahorse
Max length: 5.0 cm
Environment: Marine, demersal species that is non-migratory
Native Country: Bahamas and (Florida, Texas) United States
Habitat: They inhabit shallow seagrass beds or mangrove roots and have very small territories, often sharing them with larger species such as Hippocampus reidi.
Colours: Black, yellow, green, beige. May have white markings.

Latin Name: Hippocampus fisheri
Common Name: Fisher’s Seahorse
Max length: 8.0 cm
Environment: Marine, demersal species that is non-migratory
Native Countries: Australia and Hawaii
Habitat: Currently unknown
Colours: Pink, red and golden orange with the pouch in the male being paler than rest of the body

Latin Name: Hippocampus camelopardalis
Common Name: Giraffe Seahorse, named after its unique, long coronet which resembles a giraffes horn.
Max length: 10.0 cm
Environment: Marine, demersal species.
Native Countries: South Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania, possibly further afield.
Habitat: Found in seagrass and algal beds

Latin Name: Hippocampus spinosissimus
Common Name: Hedgehog Seahorse
Max length: 17.2 cm
Environment: Found in Marine and brackish water, it is demersal species that is possibly migratory
Native Countries: (Queensland); Indonesia; Malaysia; Philippines; Singapore; Sri Lanka; Taiwan, Province of China; Thailand; Vietnam and Cambodia
Habitat: Found on muddy, sandy seabeds and coral reef
Colour: Pale with dark reddish tail

Latin Name: Hippocampus mohnikei
Common Name: Japanese Seahorse
Max length: 8.0 cm
Environment: Marine, demersal species that is non-migratory
Native Countries: Japan and Vietnam
Habitat: Found extensively in seagrass beds
Colour: Dark Brown

Latin Name: Hippocampus jayakari
Common Name: Jayakar’s Seahorse
Max length: 14.0 cm
Environment: Marine, demersal species that is possibly migratory
Native Countries: Israel; Oman and Pakistan
Habitat: Found in beds of seagrass
Colour: Beige to pale cream in colour, a pattern of large white spot of the occurs on body and face

Latin Name: Hippocampus kelloggi
Common Name: Kellogg’s Seahorse
Max length: 28.0 cm
Environment: Marine, bathydemersal species that is non-migratory
Native Countries: China; India; Indonesia; Japan; Pakistan; Philippines; Taiwan, Province of China; Tanzania and United Republic of Vietnam
Habitat: Deep Water
Colour: Pale with tiny white spots

Latin Name: Hippocampus lichtensteinii
Common Name: Lichtenstein’s Seahorse
Max length: 4.0 cm
Environment: Marine, demersal species that is non-migratory
Native Country: Red sea and Indian Ocean
Habitat: Habitat preferences are currently unknown

Latin Name: Hippocampus erectus
Common Name: Lined Seahorse
Max length: 19.0 cm
Environment: Marine, reef associated species that is migratory, often found in very deep water in the winter as much as 70 metres.
Native Country: Bahamas; Belize; Bermuda; (Nova Scotia); Costa Rica; Cuba; Georgia; Guatemala; Haiti; Honduras; (Veracruz, Yucatán); Nicaragua; Panama; Saint Kitts and Nevis and (Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia) United States
Habitat: Found in coastal waters; often around man-made structures. Found attached to seagrass, gorgonian corals and may occur in floating Sargassum.
Colour: Brown, orange, yellow, ash grey red or black. May occur with white spots.

Latin Name: Hippocampus guttulatus
Common Name: Spiny or Long-snouted Seahorse (mainly called The Spiny Seahorse in Europe)
Max length: 30cm
Environment: Marine, demersal species that is migratory at different times of the year depending on the weather and day length.
Native Countries: Croatia; Cyprus; France; Greece; Italy; Malta; Morocco; Netherlands; Portugal; Spain; United Kingdom and Ireland
Habitat: Can be found in shallow waters including littoral lagoons, muddy waters amongst algae or among rocks and in gravel bottoms but mainly in seagrass beds during the warmer months of the year
Colour: Grey, olivey green or brown with small white spots

Latin Name: Hippocampus angustus
Common Name: Narrow-bellied Seahorse
Max length: 22.0 cm
Environment: Marine, reef associated species that is non-migratory Native Species: (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia) Australia
Habitat: Found in sheltered bays and algal reef habitats
Colour: white, orange or yellow with light patches

Latin Name: Hippocampus ingens
Common Name: Pacific Seahorse
Max length: 30.0 cm
Environment: Marine, reef associated species that is migratory at different times of the year depending on the weather and day length.
Native Countries: Colombia; Costa Rica; (Ecuador (mainland), Galápagos); El Salvador; Guatemala; Honduras; Mexico; Nicaragua; Panama; Peru and United States
Habitat: Inhabits weed beds, sea-whips and gorgonians
Colour: Yellow or grey reddish-maroon or brown

Latin Name: Hippocampus borboniesis
Common Name: Reunion Seahorse
Max length: 14.0 cm
Environment: Marine, demersal species that is non-migratory
Native Countries: Madagascar; Mauritius; Mozambique; Reunion; South Africa and Tanzania,
Habitat: Found in seagrass beds
Colour: Green-brown with yellow spots

Latin Name: Hippocampus fuscus
Common Name: Sea pony
Max length: 14.4 cm
Environment: Marine, shallow water species
Native Countries: Djibouti; India; Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka
Habitat: found in eelgrass beds and in lagoons
Colour: Normally brown but can be yellow in colour

Latin Name: Hippocampus sindonis
Common Name: Shiho’s Seahorse
Max length: 8.0 cm
Environment: Marine, demersal species that is possibly migratory at certain times of the year
Native Country: Japan
Habitat: Unknown

Latin Name: Hippocampus breviceps
Common Name: Short- headed Seahorse
Max length: 15.0 cm
Environment: Marine, demersal species that is non-migratory
Native Country: Australia
Habitat: Found to inhabit inshore waters, in macroalgae (Sargassum spp.) and seagrass beds. Also been found attached to sponge reefs, possibly migratory
Colour: Yellow or red or purplish brown. Often with dark spots or patches.

Latin Name: Hippocampus hippocampus
Common Name: Short-snouted Seahorse
Max length: 15.0 cm
Environment: Marine, demersal species that is migratory at different times of the year depending on the weather and day length
Native Countries: Algeria; France; Greece; Italy; Malta; Netherlands; Portugal; Spain; United Kingdom and Ireland
Habitat: Found in shallow, muddy waters; estuaries; inshore amongst rocks and algae and in coastal lagoons, during the winter it will move to deeper, safer waters away from the devastating storms
Colour: Brown, orange, purple or black with small white spots

Latin Name: Hippocampus reidi
Common Name: Slender Seahorse
Max length: 17.5 cm
Environment: Marine, brackish, reef associated species that is non-migratory
Native Countries: Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Bermuda; Brazil; Colombia; Cuba; Grenada; Haiti; Jamaica; Panama and (Florida, North Carolina) United States
Habitat: attached to gorgonians, seagrass meadows, mangroves but may occur in floating Sargassum or free swimming
Colour: Pure yellow, yellow with stripes, pure orange, orange with stripes or lack

Latin Name: Hippocampus histrix
Common Name: Thorny Seahorse
Max length: 17.0 cm
Environment: Marine, reef associated species that is non-migratory
Native Countries: China; French Polynesia; Indonesia; Japan; Malaysia; Mauritius; New Caledonia; Papua New Guinea; Réunion; Samoa; South Africa; Tanzania, United Republic of; Tonga; (Hawaiian Is.) and Vietnam

Latin Name: Hippocampus trimaculatus
Common Name: Three-spot Seahorse
Max length: 22.0 cm
Environment: Marine, reef associated species that is possibly migratory at certain times of the year
Native Countries: (Queensland); Cocos (Keeling) Islands; French Polynesia; Hong Kong; India; Indonesia; Japan; Philippines; Singapore; Taiwan, Province of China; Thailand; Vietnam and Cambodia
Habitat: Found in gravel and sandy bottom habitats
Colour: Golden orange, sandy colour or totally black, may have large dark spots

Latin Name: Hippocampus comes
Common Name: Tiger tail Seahorse
Max length: 18.7 cm
Environment: Marine, mainly a coral reef, nocturnal species that is non-migratory
Native Countries: Indonesia; Malaysia; Philippines; Singapore and Vietnam
Habitat: Found on coral reefs, sponge gardens, seagrass beds, kelp, floating Sargassum and mangrove habitats
Colour: Black and yellow, with alternating stripes on tail.

Latin Name: Hippocampus algiricus
Common Name: West African Seahorse
Max length: 19.2 cm
Environment: Marine, demersal species that is non-migratory
Native Countries: Algeria; (Angola); Benin; Côte d’Ivoire; Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; Liberia; Nigeria; Sao Tomé and Principe; Senegal and Sierra Leone
Habitat: Unknown
Colour: May have brown or white spots

Latin Name: Hippocampus subelongatus
Common Name: Western Australian Seahorse
Max length: 20.0 cm
Environment: Marine, reef associated species that is non-migratory
Native Country: Australia
Habitat: Found on muddy bottoms, areas of high sediment load; the outskirts of rocky areas, jetty piles and mooring; is associated with sponges or sea squirts or attached to man-made objects.
Colour: Yellow, orange, black, purple, white, cream or pink. Usually contains a net like pattern of brown lines.

Latin Name: Hippocampus whitei
Common Name: White’s Seahorse
Max length: 13.0 cm
Environment: Marine, demersal species that is non-migratory
Native Countries: Australia and Solomon Islands
Habitat: Found in shallow, weedy, inshore areas, seagrass beds, on sponges, and often under jetties on kelp holdfasts, man-made structures such as shark nets
Colour: Grey-brown to yellow

Latin Name: Hippocampus kuda
Common Name: Yellow Seahorse
Max length: 30.0 cm
Environment: Marine, brackish, reef associated species that is non-migratory
Native Countries: (Northern Territory, Queensland); Fiji; French Polynesia; Hong Kong; India; Indonesia; Japan; Malaysia; New Caledonia; Pakistan; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Singapore; Solomon Islands; Taiwan, Province of China; Thailand; Tonga; (Hawaiian Is.) and Vietnam
Habitat: Found in shallow inshore waters up to 40–50 m deep; marine algae areas of estuaries mangroves; seagrass beds; estuaries; and on steep mud slopes, open water and attached to drifting Sargassum
Colour: commonly black, but also occurs in pale yellow or cream with large dark spots
Additional information: Kuda seahorses belong to a group of 10 seahorses called the Kuda complex which could be 10 separate species or 10 sub-species, further research is needed to determine this.

Latin Name: Hippocampus zebra
Common Name: Zebra Seahorse
Max length: 8.0 cm
Environment: Marine, reef associated species that is non-migratory
Native Country: Australia
Habitat: Found in very deep waters and is not often seen due to the depth which can be up to 70 metres.
Colour: Black or dark brown with white stripes just like a zebra