Hippocampus japapigu Short, Smith, Motomura, Harasti & Hamilton, 2018
Description
Dorsal soft rays (total): 14. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: 28 tail rings; 14 dorsal fin rays; 9 pectoral fin rays; 4 subdorsal rings; bilaterally paired wing-like protrusions are formed by a pair of large truncate spines projecting laterad on first superior trunk ridge; elevated dorsal ridge is formed by unique triangular bony mounds dorsally on second, the third and fourth trunk rings with the posterior mound less pronounced; a large and prominent spine projecting laterad on eighth lateral trunk ridge (Ref. 118476).
Common Names
No common names available.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Teleostei
Order: Syngnathiformes
Family: Syngnathidae
Genus: Hippocampus
Species: Hippocampus japapigu Short, Smith, Motomura, Harasti & Hamilton, 2018
Climate Zone
Location
Biology
This species was not associated with a particular host. It has been observed in association with mixed soft coral, Halimeda sp. (coralline algae) and hydroids on rocky reef walls and large boulders in both exposed and semi-sheltered locations (Ref. 118476)..
Habitat
associated