Hippocampus abdominalis

Big-bellied seahorse | Bigbelly Seahorse | Eastern Potbellied Seahorse | Large Seahorse | Potbelly Seahorse | Hippocampus bleekeri
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis, Port Phillip Bay, VIC, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis, Bicheno, TAS, Photo: Graham Edgar
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis, adult, Night. Jervis Bay, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis, Hobart, TAS, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis, adult, Night. Jervis Bay, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis, Port Davey, Tasmania, Photo: Ian Shaw
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis, Hobart, TAS, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis, Hobart, TAS, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis, adult, Jervis Bay, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
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Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis
Hippocampus abdominalis

Distribution

Temperate Australasia


Description

Variable but usually yellow or brown with black blotches. Body ribbed with a network of ridges, and has a distinct pot belly. Similar shape and colouration to the potbelly seahorse, but lacks long filaments above the eye. Another species that may contain several distinct species or subspecies under the one title.


Information

Max Size: 35 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 9.7-22.2°C

Depth: 0-30m

Habitat Generalization Index: N/A

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Data Deficient

Occurrence: Infrequent (7.2% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Few (4 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: GJ Edgar. 2008. Australian Marine Life. New Holland, Sydney