Lined Seahorse

The lined seahorse, also called the northern seahorse or spotted seahorse, is a fish in the family Syngnathidae found in the western Atlantic Ocean from Cape Cod south to the Caribbean, Mexico and Venezuela, growing to about 15 centimetres and living one to four years. A weak swimmer that ambushes minute crustaceans and brine shrimp by blending into its surroundings, it swims upright using its dorsal and pectoral fins and can move each eye independently to scan for prey and threats. It is monogamous, performing daily ritual dances to reaffirm its pair bond, and like other seahorses the male is the caregiver, carrying fertilized eggs in a brood pouch for about three weeks before releasing the young; habitat loss from coastal development and pollution, along with use in the aquarium trade and Chinese medicine, have left it classified as vulnerable.