A snapshot of a high density seahorse population in a tropical rocky reef

Freret-Meurer, Natalie Villar; Vaccani, Amanda do Carmo; Okada, N.; Carmo, Tatiane Fernández do

doi:10.1080/00222933.2018.1478459

Cited by 5 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Prey availability may influence decisions, considering that the habitat reported here in presents potentially high quality. The association between seahorses and Sargassum vulgare beds has been reported previously [10][11][12]15 and seems to be related to feeding opportunities and protection. The rich fauna associated to Sargassum vulgare beds serves as seahorse prey 15 and seahorse ability to change colour and develop skin filaments allows them to look similar to seaweed, improving preying efficiency by applying camouflage.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

“…Since rocky reefs had up to 2,50m and most of the animals occur at 1,50m deep, [9][10][11] snorkelling was the most adequate diving method. The divers recorded the following data: seahorse species, according to Lourie et al 12 sex, by the presence (male) or absence of the brood pouch (female) (Lourie 2003); height according to Lourie, 12 to characterize specimens as adults (>56mm) or juveniles (<56mm) 11 and, finally, type of holdfast. Substrate availability was determined by the benthic cover in each transect.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gender is not a relevant matter in habitat selection of the longsnout seahorse Hippocampus reidi Ginsburg, 1933 (Teleostei: Syngnathidae)

Freret-Meurer¹

2021

JAMB

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Habitat selection in certain species may vary according to context and environmental conditions. Sexual differences regarding habitat use have been reported for several species, such as mammals, birds and fish, and have been explained by protection and food resource contexts. This issue is not well studied in seahorses, but it may provide useful data for the management of threatened species. The Longsnout Seahorse has recently been considered near threatened, but many gaps regarding its habitat use are still noted. Seahorses display a particular breeding characteristic, in which males carry the embryos inside a breeding pouch, therefore leading to supposed careful selection of breeding habitats, avoiding predation risks and choosing habitats with high prey availability. In this context, this study aimed to verify differences in habitat selection between male and female Longsnout Seahorse Hippocampus reidi specimens along the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro. This study took place at 11 sites along the Rio de Janeiro coastline, in southeastern Brazil. Random belt transects (20x5m) were assessed, searching for seahorses and their holdfasts. Random quadrats (50x50cm) divided into 100 cells/each were placed along the transects and benthic cover was counted, in order to establish substrate availability. Results suggested that males select fewer substrate types than females, but no statistical difference was detected. Both male and female H. reidi specimens select mostly Sargassum vulgare as a frequent habitat. The strong association of H. reidi to these seaweed beds suggests vulnerability concerning the degradation of this habitat.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender is not a relevant matter in habitat selection of the longsnout seahorse Hippocampus reidi Ginsburg, 1933 (Teleostei: Syngnathidae)

Freret-Meurer¹

2021

JAMB

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“…The long-snout seahorse exhibited low density and patchy distribution, a pattern similar to other species (Foster and Vincent, 2004, Rosa et al, 2007, Siqueira et al, 2017, Freret-Meurer et al, 2018a. The density of longsnout seahorse H. reidi varied along the Brazilian coast between 0.0023 to 0.066 fish/m² (Rosa et al, 2007), lower than recorded in the present study.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 47%

“…Local seahorse population was monitored monthly through snorkeling between February 2018 and January 2019. During dives, four fixed 20 m x 4 m (total of 320 m²) transects were conducted, for an effective search time of 90 minutes per dive along the rocky shores (Freret-Meurer et al, 2018a). Maximum survey site depth was 4 cm in both areas.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Population structure of the seahorse Hippocampus reidi in two Brazilian estuaries

et al. 2022

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This study aimed to evaluate and compare seasonal variations of Hippocampus reidi population structures in two Brazilian coastal areas. Samples were collected from the rocky shores of Urca and Duas Irmãs Island by freediving along fixed transects. All seahorses observed in the study were recorded, measured, and identified by sex and reproductive stage. Seahorse behavior and fish depth were also registered. All individuals were photo-identified to estimate recapture rates. Holdfast used by seahorses was also recorded. Results showed low densities at both sites; sex ratio and juvenile/adult proportion did not appear to vary with season. The seahorse height differed between the two areas but did not vary with season nor sex. Seahorses in both sites were found in shallow waters (i.e. up to 4 meters), and the depth did not vary by season nor sex. Males were more frequently recaptured than females in both areas. All seahorses were reproductively active year-round, peaking at rainy periods in both areas. The seahorses were more often recorded while resting and seemed to anchor on seaweed. Though in different bays, seahorse population structure and seasonality appeared similar. These data provide useful baseline data for future population assessments.

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Baseline study of the seahorse Hippocampus reidi Ginsburg, 1933 population in a tropical hypersaline lagoon

2023

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A snapshot of a high density seahorse population in a tropical rocky reef

Cited by 5 publications

References 13 publications

Gender is not a relevant matter in habitat selection of the longsnout seahorse Hippocampus reidi Ginsburg, 1933 (Teleostei: Syngnathidae)

Gender is not a relevant matter in habitat selection of the longsnout seahorse Hippocampus reidi Ginsburg, 1933 (Teleostei: Syngnathidae)

Population structure of the seahorse Hippocampus reidi in two Brazilian estuaries

Baseline study of the seahorse Hippocampus reidi Ginsburg, 1933 population in a tropical hypersaline lagoon

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