Hippocampus denise Lourie & Randall, 2003

Species Nomenclature and Size

Denise's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus denise Lourie & Randall, 2003) is a small fish that reaches a maximum length of approximately 2.4 cm, making it one of the smallest known seahorse species.

Body and Snout Morphology

This pygmy seahorse has a short snout, a slender body, and a prehensile tail.

Body Tubercles

Its body is either completely smooth, or covered in a small number of underdeveloped polyp-like tubercles – fewer and less developed than the tubercles found on Hippocampus bargibanti.

Coloration

Its color ranges from more or less bright yellow to orange, often with small dark spots, and sometimes has darker bands on the tail.

Geographic Distribution

This species has been recorded at multiple sites across the western Pacific, including Indonesia, Vanuatu, Palau, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands, and Micronesia.

Depth Range and Habitat

It occurs at depths from 13 to 100 meters, where it generally hides among gorgonian fields, including the genera Annella, Muricella, and Echinogorgia.