Novel sex-related characteristics of the longsnout seahorse Hippocampus reidi Ginsburg, 1933

Abstract

This paper presents novel sex-related characteristics in Hippocampus reidi, expressed as a prominent and pigmented keel (males only), and by a row of dorsolateral spots mostly (97.4%) found in males. While the keel was found even in the smallest males sampled, the dorsolateral spots appear to be associated with body size. Ex situ observations revealed that during courtship males highlighted both characters by turning pale their background body colour. Understanding such colour and behavioural patterns is relevant to increase our knowledge about sexual selection in a morphologically and biologically unique group of fishes.

Keywords

• Syngnathidae
• Colouration
• Keel
• Dorsolateral spots
• Courtship