Hippocampus jayakari Boulenger, 1900

Taxonomy and Naming

Jayakar's seahorse, whose scientific name is Hippocampus jayakari, is a coastal fish species belonging to the family Syngnathidae.

Geographic Range

It is native to the Western Indian Ocean, ranging from the Red Sea and Arabian Sea to the central coast of Pakistan.

Habitat Types

This seahorse lives in several habitat types: seagrass beds including those formed by Halophila species, algae-covered areas, soft-bottom substrates, sponges, and rocky environments.

Maximum Length

Individuals of this species can reach up to 14 centimetres (5.5 inches) in total length.

Depth Range

While the species can inhabit depths as great as 20 metres (66 feet), it is most often found at depths between 2 and 3 metres (6.6 to 9.8 feet).

Diet

Like other seahorses, it is thought to feed on small crustaceans.

Reproduction

This species is ovoviviparous; males carry eggs in a brood pouch and give birth to live young.

Sexual Maturity

Members of the species reach sexual maturity when they grow to 11 centimetres (4.3 inches) in length.

Etymology

Both the species' specific scientific epithet and its common name honor Atmaram Sadashiv "Muscati" Jayakar (1844–1911), an Indian physician, linguist, and ichthyologist who held the title of Surgeon-Major.