SEAHORSES & PIPEFISH

Few sea creatures have the universal appeal of the seahorse, one of nature’s true oddities. To many people the only connection between a seahorse and the fish from the local market is that both are found in the ocean. Seahorses are part of a much larger group of animals (the family Synganthidae) which have thick, external armour encasing the body and a tubular snout tipped with a mouth designed like a hatch door. The family also includes pipefishes, pipehorses and sea dragons. My favourite? Definitely the pygmee seahorse, especially the Bargibanti.