Teleostei (teleosts) >
Syngnathiformes (Pipefishes and seahorses) >
Syngnathidae (Pipefishes and seahorses) > Syngnathinae
Etymology: Hippocampus: Greek, ippos = horse + Greek,kampe = curvature (Ref. 45335); debelius: Named for Helmut Debelius in recognition of the effort he made in obtaining the type specimen.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 15 - 30 m (Ref. 80667). Tropical; 28°N - 27°N, 33°E - 34°E
Western Indian Ocean: Red Sea.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 2.4 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 80667)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 14; Anal soft rays: 4. This species is distinguished by the following characters: very small (height 1.92 cm, 2.37 cm SL); trunk rings 10; tail rings 28; well ossified inferior and ventral trunk ridges; D 14; pectoral fin rays 10-11; anal fin rays 4; in males, brooding area posterior to anal fin; snout medium length with a bulbous tip; coronet low and angular; gill opening separate, midway between pectoral fin base and dorsal midline; head, trunk and tail prominent, long and slender spines; no filaments nor cirrhi. Colouration: white background, mostly obscured by numerous close-set, brown lengthwise stripes or striations; the tips of many of the spines dark brown to black; anterior trunk spines also with dark band centrally (Ref. 80667).
This species occurs at moderate depths. Some corals with which this species associates with also occur in very shallow shaded areas such as below jetties. It may eventually be found inshore (Ref. 80667).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Male carries the eggs in a brood pouch (Ref. 205).
Lourie, S.A., R.A. Pollom and S.J. Foster, 2016. A global revision of the seahorses Hippocampus Rafinesque 1810 (Actinopterygii: Syngnathiformes): taxonomy and biogeography with recommendations for further research. Zootaxa 4146(1):1-66. (Ref. 115213)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00447 (0.00175 - 0.01142), b=2.99 (2.77 - 3.21), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.1 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
