seahorse
Classification:
KINGDOM: Animalia
PHYLUM: Chordata
CLASS: Osteichthyes
ORDER: Sygnathiformes
FAMILY: Syngnathidae
GENUS SPECIES: Hippocampus spp.
PHYLUM: Chordata
CLASS: Osteichthyes
ORDER: Sygnathiformes
FAMILY: Syngnathidae
GENUS SPECIES: Hippocampus spp.
morphology
Seahorses have a rigid body armor. Their pectoral fins are on the sides of their body and they also have a small dorsal fin on the back of the body which move very fast so the seahorse can swim through the water. Although seahorses are not fast swimmers! They are actually very slow swimmers. Seahorses can change their color to camouflage themselves in order to hide from enemies. The most unusual seahorse is the Australian sea horse, which has leaf-like camouflage all over its body making it almost disappear in the seaweed bed... They feed using their small mouths at the end of their snouts.
where can seahorses be found?
Seahorses are found in temperate and tropical waters. The long snout seahorse and the Northern seahorse live in the Caribbean region of the Western Atlantic. The common seahorse lives in the Mediterranean Sea and warm areas of the Atlantic. The Pacific seahorse is the only seahorse on the eastern Pacific coast ranging from California to Peru.
Why is the seahorse important?
Seahorses are important for cological, biological, economic, and medical reasons. Seahorses are also important predators for bottom-dwelling organisms. Removing seahorse would probably disrupt the ecosystem.
fun facts!
- Seahorses are fish!
- Seahorses are very bad swimmers!
- Seahorses live all around the world.
- There are 53 species of seahorses.
- Male seahorses give birth.
vocabulary
- Osteichthyes- a class of fish having a skeleton composed of bone in addition to cartilage.
- Ecosystem- is a community of living organisms (plants, animals and microbes) in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment (things like air, water and mineral soil), interacting as a system.
- Ridged- stiff and unmoving.
Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seahorse
http://www.seahorse.com
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/sea-horse/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seahorse
http://www.seahorse.com
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/sea-horse/