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CAAB: 37282110

Species Hippocampus spinosissimus Weber, 1913

Half-spined Seahorse, Halfspine Seahorse, Hedgehog Seahorse, Queensland Seahorse, White-spined Seahorse, Winged Seahorse

 

Introduction

The IUCN Red List Status is listed as Vulnerable.

Tentatively we follow the synonymy Lourie et al. (2016), although they did not present a detailed analysis supporting their full synonymy. They treated several species recognised by Kuiter (2001) as junior synonyms (H. alatus, H. queenslandicus and H. semispinosus). Teske et al. (2007) presented genetic evidence that material from Queensland was not separable from material from Asia. However, they did not treat material of H. alatus or H. semispinosus. Lourie et al. (2016) indicated that they tentatively regarded H. alatus as a junior synonym of H. spinosissimus, and indicated that H. semispinosus was not separable based on genetic evidence and morphology. They indicated that the synonymy was based on their concept of the species. Kuiter (2001, 2009) regarded H. spinosissimus as a rare deep water species, known from 50-70 m. Hippocampus alatus has been reported from 12-30 m (Allen & Erdmann 2012). Kuiter (2001) suggested that the syntype from Thursday Island was probably based on H. grandiceps, which would suggest the type series might contain two species. Lourie et al (2016) noted some discrepancies between the two Indonesian syntypes and their concept of the species H. spinosissimus. Weber (1913) figured syntypes from Indonesia and Thursday Island. If Kuiter (2001) was correct, then this species ultimately will undergo a name change. We retain it here in the interests of stability.

 

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia


Extra Distribution Information

ENE of Montebello Islands, WA (20°17'E) to E of North Stradbroke Is. (27°37'S), QLD; tropical, east-Indo-west-Pacific


IBRA and IMCRA regions (map not available)

IMCRA

Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Distribution References

Ecological Descriptors

Continental shelf, rubble bottom, seagrass.

Extra Ecological Information

12-70 m

 

General References

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp. [205] (and as H. semispinosus and p. 199 as H. alatus)

Czembor, C.A. 2012. Hippocampus alatus. In: IUCN 2014. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.1.. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/199858/0

Gloerfelt-Tarp, T. & Kailola, P.J. 1984. Trawled Fishes of Southern Indonesia and Northwest Australia. Jakarta : Dir. Gen. Fish. (Indonesia), German Tech. Coop., Aust. Dev. Ass. Bur. 406 pp. [107] (as H. kuda)

Johnson, J.W. 2010. Fishes of the Moreton Bay Marine Park and adjacent continental shelf waters, Queensland, Australia. pp. 299-353 in Davie, P.J.F. & Phillips, J.A. Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Marine Biological Workshop, The Marine Fauna and Flora of Moreton Bay. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 54(3) [312] (as H. queenslandicus)

Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Seahorses, Pipefishes and Their Relatives. Chorleywood, UK : TMC Publishing 240 pp. (as Hippocampus sp 4)

Kuiter, R.H. 2001. Revision of the Australian Seahorses of the genus Hippocampus (Syngnathiformes: Syngnathidae) with descriptions of nine new species. Records of the Australian Museum 53: 293-340 [319] (as H. queenslandicus, H. spinosissimus, H. alatus and H. semispinosus)

Kuiter, R.H. 2009. Seahorses and their relatives. Seaford, Australia : Aquatic Photographics pp. 331. [100, 104, 105] (as H. queenslandicus, H. spinosissimus, H. alatus and H. semispinosus)

Lourie, S.A., Vincent, A.C.J. & Hall, H.J. 1999. Seahorses. An identification guide to the world's species and their conservation. Project Seahorse. x 214 pp. [121]

Paxton, J.R., Gates, J.E., Hoese, D.F. & Bray, D.J. 2006. Syngnathidae. pp. 810-846 in Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. Fishes. In, Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 35. Volume 35 Australia : ABRS & CSIRO Publishing Parts 1-3, 2178 pp. [828] (as H. queenslandicus and H. semispinosus, p. 825 as H. alatus and)

Pogonoski, J.J., Pollard, D.A. & Paxton, J.R. 2002. Conservation Overview and Action Plan for Australian Threatened and Potentially Threatened Marine and Estuarine Fishes,. Canberra : Environment Australia. 355 pp. (as Hippocampus alatus and H. semispinosus)

Teske, P.R., Lourie, S.A., Matthee, C.A. & Green, D. 2007. Hippocampus queenslandicus Horne, 2001 — a new seahorse species or yet another synonym? Australian Journal of Zoology 55: 139-145 [139]

Wiswedel, S. 2012. Hippocampus spinosissimus. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2.. www.iucnredlist.org

 

Common Name References

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp. (for H. alatus) (Hedgehog Seahorse, White-spined Seahorse)

Kuiter, R.H. 2001. Revision of the Australian Seahorses of the genus Hippocampus (Syngnathiformes: Syngnathidae) with descriptions of nine new species. Records of the Australian Museum 53: 293-340 [317] (for H. alatus) (Half-spined Seahorse, Queensland Seahorse, Winged Seahorse)

Seafood Services Australia 2008. Australian Fish Names Standard. http://www.fishnames.com.au/. (as standard name for H. semispinosus) (Halfspine Seahorse, Queensland Seahorse, Winged Seahorse)

Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & Hoese, D.F. 2006. Standard names of Australian fishes. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper 9: 1-64 [33] (as H. semispinosus) (Halfspine Seahorse, Queensland Seahorse, Winged Seahorse)

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
27-Jul-2017 SYNGNATHIFORMES 31-May-2017 MODIFIED Dr Doug Hoese Dr Matthew Lockett
SYNGNATHIFORMES 05-Jun-2014 ADDED Dr Dianne Bray (NMV) Dr Doug Hoese (AM) Dr Matthew Lockett (AM)