Which seahorse species?

Hi All,

I took a picture of a seahorse, which I believe is a juvenile. Does anyone know which species that is? The picture was taken at Yamada point, on the West coast of Okinawa, Japan, a "muck" diving area, ~ 18 m, sandy, with a lot of fish life clustered around some net and concrete structures. The animal was ~ 4 mm long, and hiding at the side of a rock. The pictures might not be the most artistic ones, but it was difficult to aim the lens there, and I think you can all see what the fish looks like. Btw, there were also harlequin ghost pipefish in the area, but I don't think that's a juvenile Solenostomus paradoxus.

If you have any idea which species that is, let me know.

And, thanks again to my spotter Miho who found this miniature, well camouflaged fish!

Klaus

It looks like a Hippocampus colemani, or perhaps H. pontohi, but Ive never heard of them from Japan. Maybe a new species?

I don't think it's a hippocampus at all. It's a bit too long. It's probably a pipehorse in the K. Rumegani family. I do remember being shown a pygmy seahorse that looked like the colemani or pontohi way back when.

You're right, it looks more like a pipehorse.

def a pipehorse, although looks similar to the seadragon from that angle. Got any with more of an ID angle? from the side?

You know, I've become so cynical that I believe there are dive shops who bring it non-indigenous species to boost diving.

Then again, in all the years of diving, they probably never looked for something that small until muck diving was brought to the mainstream in the mid 90s.

I mean they had Rhinopias in Sodwana for years and no one cared until some south african went to Lembeh and came back to say it's rare LOL

I don't think it's a hippocampus at all. It's a bit too long. It's probably a pipehorse in the K. Rumegani family. I do remember being shown a pygmy seahorse that looked like the colemani or pontohi way back when.

Thank you all for the feedback. Yes, K. rumengani seems like a very good suggestion, after checking on fishbase. True, according to fishbase this is an Indonesian species, but I'd be very surprised if anyone would have brought this animal to Okinawa for the tourists. Most of the tourist divers here are happy enough when they see some sergant major damselfish being fed So, the range of this fish is larger than previously assumed? Unfortunately these are the 2 only shots I have, I need to get back there on the weekend and look for it again.

Best,

Klaus

Hi All,

 

I took a picture of a seahorse, which I believe is a juvenile. Does anyone know which species that is? The picture was taken at Yamada point, on the West coast of Okinawa, Japan, a "muck" diving area, ~ 18 m, sandy, with a lot of fish life clustered around some net and concrete structures. The animal was ~ 4 mm long, and hiding at the side of a rock. The pictures might not be the most artistic ones, but it was difficult to aim the lens there, and I think you can all see what the fish looks like. Btw, there were also harlequin ghost pipefish in the area, but I don't think that's a juvenile Solenostomus paradoxus.

 

If you have any idea which species that is, let me know.

 

And, thanks again to my spotter Miho who found this miniature, well camouflaged fish!

 

Klaus

It looks to me as what I know as a Lembeh Dragon (found in the Lembeh Straights, Sulawesi) Apparently it is a Pygmy Pipe Dragon. Latin Name Kyonemichthys Rumengani.

but I'd be very surprised if anyone would have brought this animal to Okinawa for the tourists. Most of the tourist divers here are happy enough when they see some sergant major damselfish being fed

I dunno. I remember some Colonel (Chapman?) at the Airbase trying to promote scuba tourism in Okinawa in the late 90s claimed the Yomitan whalesharks were being rehabilitated for release (obviously he failed to mention the aquarium part). So I believe anything can happen on Okinawa

I dunno. I remember some Colonel (Chapman?) at the Airbase trying to promote scuba tourism in Okinawa in the late 90s claimed the Yomitan whalesharks were being rehabilitated for release (obviously he failed to mention the aquarium part). So I believe anything can happen on Okinawa

Yes. What happens with the whalesharks is the following: Okinawan fishermen used to catch juveniles once in a while as a bycatch. They would always release them. Then, once they caught one which had gotten injured in the process, and put it in a net-cage to nurse it back to health. Then, divers showed up and payed for swimming with the animal. Thus, the fishermen had discovered a new source of income, and from then on the whalesharks did not get released anymore. There is a net-structure in Yomitan where you can do a dive with them for a hefty fee .... Not ecologically responsible at all, but not an introduced species either. I believe Jim Winters had posted a report about this on Wetpixel a while ago.

From what I understood from speaking with the Yomitan people, they were paid to catch whale sharks for the Aquarium in Naha. , I worked on getting the article being recanted on Sport Diver. In intro their video, they actually say they go out to catch them. I was more outraged by the dishonesty in promoting it as a rehab center by a 3rd party who had ties with the local dive shops.

Anyhow, nice find. Perhaps you should go back and get a better shot for id.

From what I understood from speaking with the Yomitan people, they were paid to catch whale sharks for the Aquarium in Naha. , I worked on getting the article being recanted on Sport Diver. In intro their video, they actually say they go out to catch them. I was more outraged by the dishonesty in promoting it as a rehab center by a 3rd party who had ties with the local dive shops.

Anyhow, nice find. Perhaps you should go back and get a better shot for id.

Are you in Okinawa?

Nope. I was just there when the whole Yomitan thing was at its peak. I was on my way to Yonaguni.