Let's talk about Taxonomy... 

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Family: Syngnathidae

Order: Pipefishes and allies

Genus: Hippocampus

Species: H. zosterae

Now for some Evolution... 

All Subspecies: H. guttulatus, H. hippocampus, H. fuscus

Time of Existence: 53 years 

Closest Living Relatives: Pipefish and Sticklebacks 

3 Ancestors: Pipehorses, Pipefishes, Seadragons

Now for a clearer Description... 

The Dwarf Seahorse ranges in many colors, such as; green, yellow, or black. It is common to find black or brown specks across their backside. They are well-camouflaged and are able to change colors. It has both a dorsal fin and pectoral fin that it uses to swim upright. The Dwarf Seahorse reaches a average length of 2.5cm, and a maximum length of 5.0cm. They weigh less than 1lb. Their life spans range from 1 to 2 years, but on average, they die at 1 year old. The male Dwarf Seahorse has a pouch beneath his abdomen along the front of his tail, while the female does not. This pouch is where male seahorse fertilize eggs and carry seahorse fry. The female dwarf seahorse are faster than the male seahorse, with an average speed of 5ft per hour. 

Have you ever wondered about a Dwarf Seahorse habitat? 

The Dwarf Seahorse lives in the ocean, meaning it will not feel the rainfall that happens above on land. They can typically be found within the seagrass beds in the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Coast of Florida, and the Caribbean. They like to be around seagrass, sand, and other plants and sticks that give themselves something to hitch to. Ideally, their habitat will range from 70 to 74 degrees F. Dwarf Seahorse prefer their areas shallow, such as coastal areas. They live with other coastal fish such as tuna or grouper. 

Dwarf Seahorse are found in both North and South America. They are not invasive. In fact, there is a petition to list the Dwarf Seahorse as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. 

Let's talk about their Diet...

These seahorse feed on living prey, such as small crustaceans or shrimps. They such their food through their snout, which is a useful feature they have. They require large amounts of food to survive, and can consume up to 3000 brine-shrimp per day. This means that they'll eat throughout the day. 

I know you want to learn about Social Structure...

Oftentimes, dwarf seahorse live in pairs; one female and one male. Females like to roam around on the males' territory, even though males have smaller territories. Male dwarf seahorse act as the leaders and like to assert their dominance. Males and females swim around each other and eat food together. 

Dwarf Seahorse Reproduce...

Male Dwarf Seahorse carry 2 broods per month, and their mating season runs from February to October. Typically, they have only one mate, but this ranges. In order for a female and a male seahorse to mate, the female will go into the male's territory. Then, they will perform a dance together, they might change color, and they might even hold their tails together. Male Dwarf Seahorse can produce up to 18 young at a time. 

Let's chat about Development now...

Dwarf Seahorse only live for about 1 year, sometimes up to 2. They are fully grown after 5-7 months. This means that after these months pass, they are typically sexually mature and able to reproduce.They like to swim around slowly and eat a lot. Males will carry and give birth to the young, and females will not. 

The main causes of death for these seahorse are poor water quality or old age. Some predators, such as tunas or crabs, will eat and kill them, too. There is rarely any sexual competition between Dwarf Seahorse. The main disease that will kill off these seahorse are bacterial disease. 

The Dwarf Seahorse typically will not worry about competition. However, crustaceans and seahorse do not mix! They will compete over territory. The affect of these  crustaceans is that they're not afraid to capture and eat the seahorse. 

IUCN Rating: Dwarf Seahorse are in the 'Least Concern' category. Their population is strong among the Gulf Coast, and their other homes. Scientists are unsure of how many Dwarf Seahorse exist, but are positive that there are <100,000. There are not many visible population trends. 

The impact of humans on Dwarf Seahorse is fine! Some humans will adopt and keep a Dwarf Seahorse as a pet. This really does not affect their population, therefore it is safe to adopt a Dwarf Seahorse. If they were endangered, then it would not be safe. If in the future, they became a concern on the IUCN List, it would definitely pose threats. Humans have been interacting with Dwarf Seahorse for over 40 years! There are not efforts being made to minimize impacts of humans, because the impacts are small and not harmful. The impact of sea pollution, however, is being worked on!