SEAHORSING AROUND

 

Seahorsing Around, acrylic on canvas, 2022. 18" X 18"

The fish in the painting are members of the Syngnathidae family which covers seahorses, sea dragons and pipefishes. The family's name is derived from the Greek words for "fused jaw", which refers to the family's long snouts and small mouths. Fish of this family are commonly found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide. They do not have pelvic fins and had thick plates of bony armor which make their bodies rigid. This fish family is also known for its unique parental strategy: after the females lay eggs, the males then fertilize and carry the eggs until they hatch. 

The 54 species of seahorses belong to the genus Hippocampus. The species shown in the top left of the painting is a spotted or yellow seahorse (Hippocampus kuda). It is widespread throughout the Indo-Pacific region, where they can be found in various shallow-water habitats such as estuaries, lagoons, harbors, and coastal seagrass beds.

The Sindonis seahorse (Hippocampus sindonis) is known for its bright red coloration and bony growths on its body which may have helped it to blend into coral habitats. It is native to waters off Japan. 

The pot-belly seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis, left) is one of the biggest members of the seahorse family, measuring up to 35 centimetres from nose to tail. They attach themselves to seagrasses, rocky reefs and sponges. Males have a smooth, soft, pouch-like area at the base of its abdomen, which it uses to carry the eggs until they hatch.

The Pacific seahorse (Hippocampus ingens, top centre) is the only seahorse species found in the eastern Pacific ocean. They come in various colors, including green, brown, maroon, grey, and yellow. 

The zebra seahorse (Hippocampus zebra, top right) can be easily identified by its color: white with dark stripes. It is endemic to northern Australian shores and coral reefs. 

The pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti, bottom right in coral) is one of the smallest seahorse species. The pygmy seahorse comes in a variety of colors depending on the color of coral they make a living on. They begin their lives dark brown and adopt the color of their chosen coral as they mature.

The leafy sea dragon (Phycodurus eques, bottom left) is a master of disguise which is related to the seahorse. It is named for the leaf-like structures protruding from all over its body, which gave it a form of camouflage to hide among the seaweed.

The pipefish and sea dragons are usually grouped into one subfamily distinct from their closest cousins, the seahorses. Pipefish resemble straight seahorses with snake-like bodies. Unlike seahorses which do not have tail fins, a large majority of pipefish use their tail fins to steer them while swimming. Due to their lack of strong swimming ability, most pipefish are often found in shallow waters. The pipefish featured is a slender pipefish (Microphis caudocarinatus), a species which inhabits fresh and brackish waters in Papua, Indonesia, on the western part of the island of New Guinea.