Dwarf Seahorse Essay

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The dwarf seahorse’s scientific name is hippocampus zosterae. The dwarf seahorse faces an uncertain future. It is threatened by habitat loss (Biological Diversity). It is the slowest fish on earth with a speed of five feet per hour (Guinness World Records). It spends most of its time using its tail to cling to seagrass and catch tiny plankton. They are found mostly found in the Florida Keys, Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Gulf of Mexico (Monterey Bay Aquarium).
The female generally has reproductive maturity at 118 days. Dwarf seahorses get to know each other before they mate. They will dance for many mornings before hooking up tails and mating. When mating they would move up to the water column (Live Aquaria). The male seahorse always is pregnant and never demonstrates sex role reversal. The male would give an average of 10-30 fry. The fry are independent from birth and immediately start eating freshly hatched brine shrimp. The babies would be well developed and after three months will also be able to mate (Monterey Bay Aquarium). When they mate they would not take any other additional mates that they are offered (Animal Diversity Web).
The Dwarf Seahorse mostly eats non insect arthropods and is always a carnivore. To catch food they hook onto seagrass and are well camouflaged and catch drifting tiny animals like brine shrimp, copepods, and freshly hatched shrimp larvae. They prey is sucked near through the snout. Food progress in the seahorse is very fast causing it to absorb little nutrients. Because of this the sea horse can consume up to 3,000 brine shrimp a day (Animal Diversity Web).
The Dwarf Seahorse’s predators include tunas, dorados, skates and rays, penguins, crabs, and water birds. Young dwarf’s are at the risk of at t...

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...their ecosystems. They as predators help regulate populations of their prey. As prey for other animals they provide a food source. Consumption of crustaceans from seahorses and other predators to keep the population balanced. The dwarf seahorse is a source of food for many animals (Animal Diversity Web ).
In Asia it can be used as medicine for economic importance. It is believed to help with asthma. None of the tests have shown to work though. They have also been known to be powerful and spiritual in myths. There are lots of myths surrounding exotic creatures. They are also very important to studies and research. The unique reproduction systems stymies scientists. There is currently no adverse affects on humans. The chinese medicine is the largest use of the Dwarf. It is very endangered because of all this catching (Animal Diversity Web ).

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