Big-belly Seahorse

ID points

• Belly especially swollen, one of the largest of all seahorses
• Dark spots and short skin flaps scattered over the body
• Distinct spiny bumps on the neck and back

Basics

Family

Syngnathidae

Length

25–35 cm

Depth

1-100 m

Regions

Temperate & polar

Distribution

Coastal waters of Australia and New Zealand

Habitat

Temperate seagrass beds and jetty piles

Diet

Small crustaceans

Easily confused with

Pygmy SeahorseUnder 2 cm long, smaller than a fingernailSeahorseHead set at almost a right angle to the body; floats uprightWeedy SeadragonRed-purple ground covered with yellow spots and fine silvery white bars

Fun fact

The largest seahorse known, growing to 35 centimetres in length. The male's brood pouch can hatch as many as 900 young seahorses in a single batch.

More in this family

• Leafy Seadragon
• Pipefish