Hippocampus guttulatus Cuvier, 1829

Size

The long-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus Cuvier, 1829) is a small-sized fish that can reach a maximum length of 21.5 cm (8+1⁄2 inches), with an average length of around 12 cm (5 inches).

Body Morphology

It has a slender body, a long snout, and a prehensile tail.

Its head and dorsal ridge often bear numerous, more or less long dermal filaments, which can be simple or bifid.

Base Coloration

Its body color ranges from dark green to various shades of brown to yellow, and the body is often speckled with small white dots.

Geographic Distribution

This seahorse is widespread across the temperate waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean, ranging from the south coast of the United Kingdom to the Netherlands, and extending south to Morocco.

Its range also includes the Canary Islands, the Azores, Madeira, Italy, and the entire Mediterranean Sea.

Morph Color Variation

Individuals of this species can also be colored black, yellow, red, orange, or brown, and often have multiple white dots that are usually located on the tail.

Depth Range

The long-snouted seahorse prefers shallow coastal waters between 1 and 20 m (3 to 66 ft) deep.

Habitat

It is found close to Posidonia seagrass meadows, or in mixed habitats with a sandy bottom and rocks covered in algae.