The province of Rimini ( Italian : provincia di Rimini ) is the southernmost province of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy . Its capital is the city of Rimini , one of the "seven sisters" of the historical region of Romagna .
75-529: See Species . A seahorse (also written sea-horse and sea horse ) is any of 46 species of small marine bony fish in the genus Hippocampus . "Hippocampus" comes from the Ancient Greek hippókampos ( ἱππόκαμπος ), itself from híppos ( ἵππος ) meaning "horse" and kámpos ( κάμπος ) meaning "sea monster" or "sea animal". Having a head and neck suggestive of a horse , seahorses also feature segmented bony armour, an upright posture and
150-419: A refugium that is at least 20 inches by 51 centimeters deep is recommended inside an aquarium. Animals sold as " freshwater seahorses" are usually the closely related pipefish , of which a few species live in the lower reaches of rivers. The supposed true "freshwater seahorse" called H. aimei is not a valid species, but a synonym sometimes used for Barbour's and hedgehog seahorses . The latter, which
225-408: A bony operculum , and a predominantly bony skeleton. Under this classification system, Osteichthyes was considered paraphyletic with regard to land vertebrates , as the common ancestor of all osteichthyans includes tetrapods amongst its descendants. While the largest subclass, Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish), is monophyletic, with the inclusion of the smaller sub-class Sarcopterygii, Osteichthyes
300-505: A curled prehensile tail . Along with the pipefishes and seadragons ( Phycodurus and Phyllopteryx ) they form the family Syngnathidae . Seahorses are mainly found in shallow tropical and temperate salt water throughout the world, from about 45°S to 45°N. They live in sheltered areas such as seagrass beds, estuaries , coral reefs , and mangroves . Four species are found in Pacific waters from North America to South America . In
375-499: A dead sunfish near the coast of Faial Island , Azores , with a weight of 2,744 kilograms (6,049 lb) and 3.6 metres (12 ft) tall and 3.5 metres (11 ft) long established the biggest giant sunfish ever captured. The longest is the king of herrings , a type of oarfish . Other very large bony fish include the Atlantic blue marlin , some specimens of which have been recorded as in excess of 820 kilograms (1,810 lb),
450-421: A distinctive trunk and tail. Although they are bony fish , they do not have scales, but rather thin skin stretched over a series of bony plates, which are arranged in rings throughout their bodies. Each species has a distinct number of rings. The armor of bony plates also protects them against predators, and because of this outer skeleton, they no longer have ribs. Seahorses swim upright, propelling themselves using
525-594: A physically 'internal' environment after the closure of the pouch. It is believed that this protected form of fertilization reduces sperm competition among males. Within the Syngnathidae (pipefishes and seahorses) protected fertilization has not been documented in the pipefishes but the lack of any distinct differences in the relation of testes size to body size suggests that pipefishes may also have evolved mechanisms for more efficient fertilization with reduced sperm competition. The fertilized eggs are then embedded in
600-471: A single comune , Montescudo-Monte Colombo . On 16 October 2016, a merger of the comune of Montegridolfo, Mondaino and Saludecio was rejected at referendum. Montegridolfo and Mondaino voted 92.9% and 69.5% for the merger, but Saludecio voted 58.2% against. On 17 June 2021, the comuni of Montecopiolo and Sassofeltrio were transferred from the province of Pesaro and Urbino to the province of Rimini. Twenty-seven comuni (municipalities) constitute
675-415: A single female because of ecological factors that make male parental care and protection of offspring especially advantageous." Because the rates of survival for newborn seahorses are so low, incubation is essential. Though not proven, males could have taken on this role because of the lengthy period the females require to produce their eggs. If males incubate while females prepare the next clutch (amounting to
750-467: A study of seahorses, the distinctive head morphology was found to give them a hydrodynamic advantage that creates minimal interference while approaching an evasive prey. Thus the seahorse can get very close to the copepods on which it preys. After successfully closing in on the prey without alerting it, the seahorse gives an upward thrust and rapidly rotates the head aided by large tendons that store and release elastic energy, to bring its long snout close to
825-430: A third of body weight), they can reduce the interval between clutches. Seahorses use their long snouts to eat their food with ease. However, they are slow to consume their food and have extremely simple digestive systems that lack a stomach, so they must eat constantly to stay alive. Seahorses are not very good swimmers, and for this reason they need to anchor themselves to seaweed , coral or anything else that will keep
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#1732782815267900-403: A third of her body weight. To protect against losing a clutch, the female demands a long courtship. The daily greetings help to cement the bond between the pair. Though seahorses are not known to mate for life, many species form pair bonds that last through at least the breeding season. Some species show a higher level of mate fidelity than others. However, many species readily switch mates when
975-933: Is often confused with the former, can be found in estuarine environments, but is not actually a freshwater fish. Seahorse populations are thought to be endangered as a result of overfishing and habitat destruction . Despite a lack of scientific studies or clinical trials, the consumption of seahorses is widespread in traditional Chinese medicine , primarily in connection with impotence , wheezing, nocturnal enuresis , and pain, as well as labor induction . Up to 20 million seahorses may be caught each year to be sold for such uses. Preferred species of seahorses include H. kellogii , H. histrix , H. kuda , H. trimaculatus , and H. mohnikei . Seahorses are also consumed by Indonesians , central Filipinos , and many other ethnic groups. Import and export of seahorses has been controlled under CITES since 15 May 2004. However, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, and South Korea have chosen to opt out of
1050-481: Is the largest class of vertebrates in existence today, encompassing most aquatic vertebrates, as well as all semi-aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates. The group is divided into two main clades , the ray-finned fish ( Actinopterygii , which makes up the vast majority of extant fish) and the lobe-finned fish ( Sarcopterygii , which gave rise to all land vertebrates, i.e. tetrapods ). The oldest known fossils of bony fish are about 425 million years old from
1125-437: Is usually oviparous (egg-laying) but can be ovoviviparous , or viviparous . Although there is usually no parental care after birth, before birth parents may scatter, hide, guard or brood eggs, with sea horses being notable in that the males undergo a form of "pregnancy", brooding eggs deposited in a ventral pouch by a female. The giant sunfish is the heaviest bony fish in the world, in late 2021, Portuguese fishermen found
1200-552: Is very important for the survival of seahorses in an aquarium. They are delicate species which should not be added to a new tank. The water parameters are recommended to be as follows although these fish may acclimatise to different water over time: A water-quality problem will affect fish behaviour and can be shown by clamped fins, reduced feeding, erratic swimming, and gasping at the surface. Seahorses require vertical swimming space to perform reproductive functions and to prevent depth-related health conditions like gas bubble disease, so
1275-558: Is very sparse. The best known and best studied fossils are specimens of Hippocampus guttulatus (though literature more commonly refers to them under the synonym of H. ramulosus ), from the Marecchia River formation of Rimini Province , Italy, dating back to the Lower Pliocene , about 3 million years ago. The earliest known seahorse fossils are of two pipefish-like species, H. sarmaticus and H. slovenicus , from
1350-444: The black marlin , some sturgeon species, and the giant and goliath grouper , which both can exceed 300 kilograms (660 lb) in weight. In contrast, Paedocypris progenetica and the stout infantfish can measure less than 8 millimetres (0.31 in). The beluga sturgeon is the largest species of freshwater bony fish extant today, and Arapaima gigas is among the largest of the freshwater fish. The largest bony fish ever
1425-560: The bony fish , is a diverse superclass of vertebrate animals that have endoskeletons primarily composed of bone tissue . They can be contrasted with the Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) and the extinct placoderms and acanthodians , which have endoskeletons primarily composed of cartilage . The vast majority of extant fish are members of Osteichthyes, being an extremely diverse and abundant group consisting of 45 orders , over 435 families and 28,000 species . It
1500-1104: The cladogram below. Whole-genome duplication took place in the ancestral Osteichthyes. Coelacanthiformes [REDACTED] Ceratodontiformes [REDACTED] Tetrapoda [REDACTED] Polypteriformes [REDACTED] Acipenseriformes [REDACTED] Lepisosteiformes [REDACTED] Amiiformes [REDACTED] Elopiformes [REDACTED] Albuliformes [REDACTED] Notacanthiformes [REDACTED] Anguilliformes [REDACTED] Osteoglossiformes [REDACTED] Hiodontiformes [REDACTED] Clupeiformes [REDACTED] Alepocephaliformes [REDACTED] Gonorynchiformes [REDACTED] Cypriniformes [REDACTED] Characiformes [REDACTED] Gymnotiformes [REDACTED] Siluriformes [REDACTED] Lepidogalaxiiformes Argentiniformes [REDACTED] Galaxiiformes [REDACTED] Salmoniformes [REDACTED] Esociformes [REDACTED] Osmeriformes [REDACTED] Stomiatiformes [REDACTED] Neoteleostei [REDACTED] All bony fish possess gills . For
1575-524: The coprolitic horizon of Tunjice Hills, a middle Miocene lagerstätte in Slovenia dating back about 13 million years. Molecular dating implies that pipefish and seahorses diverged during the Late Oligocene . This has led to speculation that seahorses evolved in response to large areas of shallow water, newly created as the result of tectonic events. The shallow water would have allowed
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#17327828152671650-401: The dorsal fin , another characteristic not shared by their close pipefish relatives, which swim horizontally. Razorfish are the only other fish that swim vertically. The pectoral fins , located on either side of the head behind their eyes, are used for steering. They lack the caudal fin typical of fishes. Their prehensile tail is composed of square-like rings that can be unlocked only in
1725-631: The fry are ready to be born, the male expels them with muscular contractions. He typically gives birth at night and is ready for the next batch of eggs by morning when his mate returns. Like almost all other fish species, seahorses do not nurture their young after birth. Infants are susceptible to predators or ocean currents which wash them away from feeding grounds or into temperatures too extreme for their delicate bodies. Less than 0.5% of infants survive to adulthood, explaining why litters are so large. These survival rates are actually fairly high compared to other fish, because of their protected gestation, making
1800-429: The inner ear contains large otoliths . The braincase, or neurocranium, is frequently divided into anterior and posterior sections divided by a fissure . Early bony fish had simple respiratory diverticula (an outpouching on either side of the esophagus ) which helped them breathe air in low-oxygen water as a form of supplementary enteral respiration . In ray-finned fish these have evolved into swim bladders ,
1875-423: The opah , swordfish and tuna have independently evolved various levels of endothermy . Bony fish can be any type of heterotroph : numerous species of omnivore , carnivore , herbivore , filter-feeder , detritivore , or hematophage are documented. Some bony fish are hermaphrodites , and a number of species exhibit parthenogenesis . Fertilization is usually external, but can be internal. Development
1950-585: The province of Pesaro and Urbino , in the Marche region, to its south and southeast, the independent Republic of San Marino to its south, and the province of Arezzo in Tuscany to its southwest. The province consists of 27 comuni ( sg. : comune ), centred on the valleys of the Marecchia and Conca rivers. Since the transfer of nine comuni (municipalities) from Pesaro and Urbino in 2009 and 2021,
2025-526: The swim bladders and lungs , respectively. Osteichthyes can be compared to Euteleostomi . In paleontology the terms are synonymous. In ichthyology the difference is that Euteleostomi presents a cladistic view which includes the terrestrial tetrapods that evolved from lobe-finned fish. Until recently, the view of most ichthyologists has been that Osteichthyes were paraphyletic and include only fishes. However, since 2013 widely cited ichthyology papers have been published with phylogenetic trees that treat
2100-973: The Atlantic, Hippocampus erectus ranges from Nova Scotia to Uruguay . H. zosterae , known as the dwarf seahorse, is found in the Bahamas . Colonies have been found in European waters such as the Thames Estuary . Two species live in the Mediterranean Sea : H. guttulatus (the long-snouted seahorse), H. hippocampus (the short-snouted seahorse). These species form territories; males stay within 1 m (10 sq ft) of habitat, while females range over about one hundred times that. Seahorses range in size from 1.5 to 35 cm (0.6 to 13.8 in). They are named for their equine appearance, with bent necks and long snouted heads and
2175-462: The Internet. They can be distinguished from other species of seahorse by their 12 trunk rings, low number of tail rings (26–29), the location in which young are brooded in the trunk region of males and their extremely small size. Molecular analysis (of ribosomal RNA ) of 32 Hippocampus species found that H. bargibanti belongs in a separate clade from other members of the genus and therefore that
2250-488: The Osteichthyes as a clade including tetrapods. Bony fish are characterized by a relatively stable pattern of cranial bones , rooted, medial insertion of mandibular muscle in the lower jaw. The head and pectoral girdles are covered with large dermal bones. The eyeball is supported by a sclerotic ring of four small bones, but this characteristic has been lost or modified in many modern species. The labyrinth in
2325-559: The Valconca Union. The union was formed to integrate public services across the comuni . A clause working towards the comuni 's merger was repealed in 2009. On 15 August 2009, seven comuni were transferred from the province of Pesaro and Urbino , in the Marche region, to the province of Rimini. The comuni were Casteldelci , Maiolo , Novafeltria , Pennabilli , San Leo , Sant'Agata Feltria and Talamello . On 1 January 2016, Montescudo and Monte Colombo were merged into
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2400-423: The aggressor. Male seahorses are more aggressive and sometimes fight for female attention. According to Amanda Vincent of Project Seahorse , only males tail-wrestle and snap their heads at each other. This discovery prompted further study of energy costs. To estimate the female's direct contribution, researchers chemically analyzed the energy stored in each egg. To measure the burden on the males, oxygen consumption
2475-478: The biomechanics of prey capture. The unique posture of the seahorse allows them to capture small shrimps at larger distances than the pipefish is capable of. The male seahorse is equipped with a brood pouch on the ventral, or front-facing, side of the tail. When mating, the female seahorse deposits up to 1,500 eggs in the male's pouch. The male carries the eggs for 9 to 45 days until the seahorses emerge fully developed, but very small. The young are then released into
2550-455: The changing sizes of which help to alter the body's specific density and buoyancy . In elpistostegalians , a crown group of lobe-finned fish that gave rise to the land-dwelling tetrapods , these respiratory diverticula became further specialized for obligated air breathing and evolved into the modern amphibian , reptilian , avian and mammalian lungs . Early bony fish did not have fin spines like most modern fish, but instead had
2625-420: The day of copulation. Phase 2 is marked by the female pointing, a behaviour in which the female will raise her head to form an oblique angle with her body. In phase 3 males will also begin the same pointing behaviour in response to the female. Finally, the male and female will repeatedly rise upward together in a water column and end in mid-water copulation, in which the female will transfer her eggs directly into
2700-405: The embryos. Further they also offer immunological protection, osmoregulation, gas exchange and waste transport. The eggs then hatch in the pouch, where the salinity of the water is regulated; this prepares the newborns for life in the sea. The number of young released by the male seahorse averages 100–1000 for most species, but may be as low as 5 for the smaller species, or as high as 2,500. When
2775-463: The epidermis in the process. The three categories of scales for Osteichthyes which are cosmoid scales, ganoid scales, teleost scales. The teleost scales are also then divided into two subgroups which are the cycloid scales, and the ctenoid scales. All these scales have a base of bone that they all originate from, the only difference is that the teleost scales only have one layer of bone. Ganoid scales have lamellar bone, and vascular bone that lies on top of
2850-489: The epidermis of the fish. ...it is increasingly widely accepted that tetrapods, including ourselves, are simply modified bony fishes, and so we are comfortable with using the taxon Osteichthyes as a clade, which now includes all tetrapods... Fishes of the World (5th ed) Traditionally, Osteichthyes was considered a class , recognised on the presence of a swim bladder , only three pairs of gill arches hidden behind
2925-599: The expansion of seagrass habitats that served as camouflage for the seahorses' upright posture. These tectonic changes occurred in the western Pacific Ocean , pointing to an origin there, with molecular data suggesting two later, separate invasions of the Atlantic Ocean . In 2016, a study published in Nature found the seahorse genome to be the most rapidly evolving fish genome studied so far. The evolution of seahorses from pipefish may have been an adaptation related to
3000-494: The fleshy paddle-like fins similar to other non-bony clades of fish, although the lobe-finned fish evolved articulated appendicular skeletons within their paired fins , which gave rise to tetrapods' limbs . They also evolved a pair of opercula (gill covers), which can actively draw water across the gills so they can breathe without having to swim. Bony fish do not have placoid scales like cartilaginous fish, instead they consist of three types of scales that do not penetrate
3075-417: The intensity of the courtship act. Phase 1, the initial courtship phase, typically takes place in the early morning one or two days before physical copulation . During this phase the potential mates brighten in colour, quiver, and display rapid side-to-side body vibrations. These displays are performed alternately by both the male and the female seahorse. The following phases, 2 through 4, happen sequentially on
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3150-423: The lamellar bone, then enamel lies on top of both layers of bone. Cosmoid scales have the same two layers of bone that ganoid scales have except they have dentin in-between the enamel and vascular bone and lamellar (vascular and lamellar two subcategories for bone found in scales). All these scales are found underneath the epidermis and do not break the epidermis of the fish. Unlike the placoid scales that poke through
3225-442: The late Silurian , which are also transitional fossils showing a tooth pattern that is in between the tooth rows of sharks and true bony fishes. Despite the name, these early basal bony fish had not yet evolved ossification and their skeletons were still mostly cartilaginous, and the main distinguishing feature that set them apart from other fish clades were the development of foregut pouches that eventually evolved into
3300-435: The majority this is their sole or main means of respiration. Lungfish and other osteichthyan species are capable of respiration through lungs or vascularized swim bladders. Other species can respire through their skin, intestines, and/or stomach. Osteichthyes are primitively ectothermic (cold blooded), meaning that their body temperature is dependent on that of the water. But some of the larger marine osteichthyids, such as
3375-413: The male and female anchored to the same plant about 3 cm apart; usually they are facing each other and are still bright in colour from the previous phase. During the first bout, following the facing behaviour, the seahorses will rise upward together anywhere from 2 to 13 cm in a water column. During the final rise, the female will insert her ovipositor and transfer her eggs through an opening into
3450-454: The male approaches the female, brightens and begins to quiver. The female will follow the male with her own display, in which she will also brighten and quiver about 5 seconds later. As the male quivers, he will rotate his body towards the female who will then rotate her body away. During phase 1 the tails of both seahorses are positioned within 1 cm of each other on the same hold-fast and both of their bodies are angled slightly outward from
3525-475: The male's brood pouch. During fertilization in Hippocampus kuda , the brood pouch was found to be open for only six seconds while egg deposition occurred. During this time seawater entered the pouch where the spermatozoa and eggs meet in a seawater milieu. This hyperosmotic environment facilitates sperm activation and motility. The fertilization is therefore regarded as being physiologically 'external' within
3600-421: The male's brood pouch. This initial courtship behaviour takes place about 30 minutes after dawn on each courtship day, until the day of copulation. During this phase the males and females will remain apart during the night, but after dawn they will come together in a side-by-side position, brighten, and engage in courtship behaviour for about 2 to 38 minutes. There is repeated reciprocal quivering. This starts when
3675-431: The most extreme conditions. They are adept at camouflage, and can grow and reabsorb spiny appendages depending on their habitat. Unusual among fish, a seahorse has a flexible, well-defined neck. It also sports a crown-like spine or horn on its head, termed a "coronet", which is distinct for each species. Seahorses swim very poorly, rapidly fluttering a dorsal fin and using pectoral fins to steer. The slowest-moving fish in
3750-493: The number used for souvenirs, there is insufficient information to assess their risk of extinction, and the risk of losing more seahorses remains a concern. Coral reefs and seagrass beds are deteriorating, reducing viable habitats for seahorses. Additionally, bycatch in many areas causes high cumulative effects on seahorses, with an estimated 37 million individuals being removed annually over 21 countries. While many aquarium hobbyists keep them as pets, seahorses collected from
3825-482: The opportunity arises. H. abdominalis and H. breviceps have been shown to breed in groups, showing no continuous mate preference. Many more species' mating habits have not been studied, so it is unknown how many species are actually monogamous, or how long those bonds actually last. Although monogamy within fish is not common, it does appear to exist for some. In this case, the mate-guarding hypothesis may be an explanation. This hypothesis states, "males remain with
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#17327828152673900-420: The point of attachment. However, the female will shift her tail attachment site, causing the pair to circle their common hold-fast. This phase begins with the female beginning her pointing posture, by leaning her body towards the male, who will simultaneously lean away and quiver. This phase can last up to 54 minutes. Following phase 2 is a latency period (typically between 30 minutes and four hours), during which
3975-415: The potential to produce 17% more offspring than females in a breeding season. Also, females have "time-outs" from the reproductive cycle 1.2 times longer than those of males. This seems to be based on mate choice, rather than physiology. When the female's eggs are ready, she must lay them in a few hours or eject them into the water column. Making eggs is a huge cost to her physically, since they amount to about
4050-402: The pouch wall and become surrounded by a spongy tissue. The pouch provides oxygen, as well as a controlled environment incubator. Though the egg yolk contributes nourishment to the developing embryo, the male sea horses contribute additional nutrients such as energy-rich lipids and also calcium to allow them to build their skeletal system, by secreting them into the brood pouch that are absorbed by
4125-444: The preferred large, pale, and smooth seahorses has been offset by the shift towards prepackaged preparations, which makes it possible for TCM merchants to sell previously unused, or otherwise undesirable juvenile, spiny, and dark-coloured animals. Dried seahorse retails from US$ 600 to $ 3000 per kilogram, with larger, paler, and smoother animals commanding the highest prices. In terms of value based on weight, seahorses retail for more than
4200-416: The prey. This step is crucial for prey capture, as oral suction only works at a close range. This two-phase prey capture mechanism is termed pivot-feeding. Seahorses have three distinctive feeding phases: preparatory, expansive, and recovery. During the preparatory phase, the seahorse slowly approaches the prey while in an upright position, after which it slowly flexes its head ventrally. In the expansive phase,
4275-504: The price of silver and almost that of gold in Asia. On the basis of the newest overall taxonomic review of the genus Hippocampus with further new species and partial taxonomic review, the number of recognized species in this genus is considered to be 46 (retrieved May 2020): Pygmy seahorses are those members of the genus that are less than 15 mm ( 9 ⁄ 16 in) tall and 17 mm ( 11 ⁄ 16 in) wide. Previously
4350-401: The process worth the great cost to the father. The eggs of most other fish are abandoned immediately after fertilization. Reproduction is energetically costly to the male. This brings into question why the sexual role reversal even takes place. In an environment where one partner incurs more energy costs than the other, Bateman's principle suggests that the lesser contributor takes the role of
4425-451: The province of Rimini includes most of the historical region of Montefeltro . The province of Rimini was formed on 16 April 1992. Its comuni were previously part of the province of Forlì, whose remaining part was renamed the province of Forlì-Cesena . On 1 January 1996, the comuni of Gemmano , Montefiore Conca , Saludecio , Mondaino , Montegridolfo , Montescudo , Monte Colombo , San Clemente , and Morciano di Romagna formed
4500-423: The same strand of sea grass with their tails, and wheel around in unison in what is known as a "predawn dance". They eventually engage in a "true courtship dance" lasting about 8 hours, during which the male pumps water through the egg pouch on his trunk which expands and opens to display its emptiness. When the female's eggs reach maturity, she and her mate let go of any anchors and drift upward snout-to-snout, out of
4575-451: The sea grass, often spiraling as they rise. They interact for about 6 minutes, reminiscent of courtship. The female inserts her ovipositor into the male's brood pouch and deposits dozens to thousands of eggs. As the female releases her eggs, her body slims while his swells. Both animals then sink back into the sea grass and she swims away. Seahorses exhibit four phases of courtship that are indicated by clear behavioral changes and changes in
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#17327828152674650-466: The seahorse captures its prey by simultaneously elevating its head, expanding the buccal cavity, and sucking in the prey item. During the recovery phase, the jaws, head, and hyoid apparatus of the seahorse return to their original positions. The amount of available cover influences the seahorse's feeding behaviour. For example, in wild areas with small amounts of vegetation, seahorses will sit and wait, but an environment with extensive vegetation will prompt
4725-480: The seahorse in place. They do this by using their prehensile tails to grasp their object of choice. Seahorses feed on small crustaceans floating in the water or crawling on the bottom. With excellent camouflage seahorses ambush prey that floats within striking range, sitting and waiting until an optimal moment. Mysid shrimp and other small crustaceans are favorites, but some seahorses have been observed eating other kinds of invertebrates and even larval fish. In
4800-420: The seahorse to inspect its environment, feeding while swimming rather than sitting and waiting. Conversely, in an aquarium setting with little vegetation, the seahorse will fully inspect its environment and makes no attempt to sit and wait. Because data is lacking on the sizes of the various seahorse populations, as well as other issues including how many seahorses are dying each year, how many are being born, and
4875-511: The seahorses display no courtship behaviour and females are not bright; males will usually display a pumping motion with their body. The third phase begins with the females brightening and assuming the pointing position. The males respond with their own brightening and pointing display. This phase ends with the male departing. It usually lasts nine minutes and can occur one to six times during courtship. The final courtship phase includes 5–8 bouts of courtship. Each bout of courtship begins with both
4950-619: The species diverged from the other species in the ancient past. Most pygmy seahorses are well camouflaged and live in close association with other organisms including colonial hydrozoans ( Lytocarpus and Antennellopsis ), coralline algae ( Halimeda ), and sea fans ( Muricella , Annella , and Acanthogorgia ). This combined with their small size accounts for why most species have only been noticed and classified since 2001. Osteichthyes Osteichthyes ( / ˌ ɒ s t iː ˈ ɪ k θ iː z / ost-ee- IK -theez ), also known as osteichthyans or commonly referred to as
5025-539: The stress of moving out of the wild. Although captive-bred seahorses are more expensive, they take no toll on wild populations. Seahorses should be kept in an aquarium with low flow and placid tank mates. They are slow feeders, so fast, aggressive feeders will leave them without food. Seahorses can coexist with many species of shrimp and other bottom-feeding creatures. Gobies also make good tank-mates. Keepers are generally advised to avoid eels , tangs , triggerfish , squid , octopus , and sea anemones . Water quality
5100-413: The term was applied exclusively to the species H. bargibanti but since 1997, discoveries have made this usage obsolete. The species H. minotaur , H. denise , H. colemani , H. pontohi , H. severnsi , H. satomiae , H. waleananus , H. nalu , H. japapigu have been described. Other species that are believed to be unclassified have also been reported in books, dive magazines and on
5175-440: The trade rules set by CITES. The problem may be exacerbated by the growth of pills and capsules as the preferred method of ingesting seahorses. Pills are cheaper and more available than traditional, individually tailored prescriptions of whole seahorses, but the contents are harder to track. Seahorses once had to be of a certain size and quality before they were accepted by TCM practitioners and consumers. Declining availability of
5250-413: The water, and the male often mates again within hours or days during the breeding season. Before breeding, seahorses may court for several days. Scientists believe the courtship behavior synchronizes the animals' movements and reproductive states, so that the male can receive the eggs when the female is ready to deposit them. During this time, they may change color, swim side by side holding tails or grip
5325-464: The wild tend to fare poorly in home aquaria. Many eat only live foods such as brine shrimp and are prone to stress, which damages their immune systems and makes them susceptible to disease. In recent years, however, captive breeding has become more popular. Such seahorses survive better in captivity, and are less likely to carry diseases. They eat frozen mysidacea ( crustaceans ) that are readily available from aquarium stores, and do not experience
5400-557: The world is H. zosterae (the dwarf seahorse), with a top speed of about 1.5 m (5 ft) per hour. Since they are poor swimmers, they are most likely to be found resting with their prehensile tail wound around a stationary object. They have long snouts, which they use to suck up food, and their eyes can move independently of each other like those of a chameleon . Anatomical evidence, supported by molecular, physical, and genetic evidence, demonstrates that seahorses are highly modified pipefish . The fossil record of seahorses, however,
5475-468: Was Leedsichthys , which dwarfed the beluga sturgeon as well as the ocean sunfish , giant grouper and all the other giant bony fishes alive today. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Rimini Province The province borders the Adriatic Sea to its northeast, the province of Forlì-Cesena to its northwest,
5550-403: Was regarded as paraphyletic. This has led to the current cladistic classification which splits the Osteichthyes into two full classes. Under this scheme Osteichthyes is monophyletic, as it includes the tetrapods making it a synonym of the clade Euteleostomi . Most bony fish belong to the ray-finned fish (Actinopterygii). A phylogeny of living Osteichthyes, including the tetrapods, is shown in
5625-609: Was used. By the end of incubation, the male consumed almost 33% more oxygen than before mating. The study concluded that the female's energy expenditure while generating eggs is twice that of males during incubation, confirming the standard hypothesis. Why the male seahorse (and other members of the Syngnathidae) carries the offspring through gestation is unknown, though some researchers believe it allows for shorter birthing intervals, in turn resulting in more offspring. Given an unlimited number of ready and willing partners, males have
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