Thanks to Rich for pointing this one out, National Geographic just posted a gallery of five new Indonesian pigmy seahorses. Three of the species were described by talented fish photographer Rudie Kuiter (original description). The pony above is Satoni’s seahorse and it was described from Derawan Island, Kalimantan. Say that three times fast. Hippocampus sitomiae is the smallest of the species described at half an inch long (13mm). If you ask us, it looks barely strong enough to overpower that large sea pen polyp. The pony below is so perfectly camouflaged, it matches two different parts of that Dendronephthya. These species however should be admired from a distance because it is unlikely that they will ever be available in the aquarium trade and they would likely perish without the highest level of expert care. If a public institution put as much effort into keeping these pigmy ponies as they do for coolwater Leafy and Weedy Seadragon exhibits then we migt be on to something. Photos by Stephen Wong/Takako Uno and Kai Walz.
The smallest of the small, newly discovered pigmy seahorses
Jake Adams
Jake Adams has been an avid marine aquarist since the mid 90s and has worked in the retail side of the marine aquarium trade for more than ten years. He has a bachelor’s degree in Marine Science and has been the managing editor of ReefBuilders.com since 2008. Jake is interested in every facet of the marine aquarium hobby from the concepts to the technology, rare fish to exotic corals, and his interests are well documented through a very prolific career of speaking to reef clubs and marine aquarium events, and writing articles for aquarium publications across the globe. His primary interest is in corals which Jake pursues in the aquarium hobby as well as diving the coral reefs of the world.
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