Species Hippocampus abdominalis Lesson, 1827

Museums

Regional Maps

External Links

• Hippocampus abdominalis Lesson, R.P. 1827. Espèce nouvelle d'Hippocampe. Bulletin des Sciences Naturelles et de Géologie 11: 127-128 [127] [also described as new in Lesson, R.P. 1828. Description du nouveau genre Ichthyophis et de plusieurs espèces inédites ou peu connues de poissons, recueillis dans le voyage autour du monde de la Corvette "La Coquille.". Mémoires de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de Paris 4: 397-412 [Abstract in Bull. Sci. Nat. (Ferussac) 17:299-301, and Isis (Oken) v. 25, 1832:487-488] [411]].

  Type data:

   
  Syntype(s) MNHP 0000-6090 skin, New Zealand; MNHP 0000-9207 (2), New Zealand.
• Hippocampus (Macleayina) bleekeri Fowler, H.W. 1908. A collection of fishes from Victoria, Australia. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 59(3): 419-444 figs 1-10 [dated 1907] [426, fig.4].

  Type data:

   Holotype ANSP 33122 (in 2 pieces), Victoria, Australia.
  Paratype(s) ANSP 33184-87 (6, 1 with head missing, in jar with holotype), Victoria, Australia.
• Hippocampus (Macleayina) agnesae Fowler, H.W. 1908. A collection of fishes from Victoria, Australia. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 59(3): 419-444 figs 1-10 [dated 1907] [429].

  Type data:

   Holotype ANSP 33123, Victoria, Australia.
  Paratype(s) ANSP 33162 (1, in jar with holotype), Victoria, Australia.
• Hippocampus graciliformis McCulloch, A.R. 1911. Report on the fishes obtained by the F.I.S. Endeavour on the coasts of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. Part 1. Zoological (Biological) Results. Endeavour 1(1): 1-87 figs 1-20 pls 1-16 [29, Pl.6 (fig.2)].

  Type data:

   Holotype AMSA E.429, Near Bass Strait, Australia.

 

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Whitley, G.P. & Allan, J. 1958. The Sea-horse and its Relatives. Melbourne : Georgian House 84 pp. 25 figs. [37-39]
• Armstrong, P. 2001. Genetic and Morphological Variation in Pot-bellied Seahorses (Hippocampus abdominalis): Is there evidence for two species? Unpublished B.Sc. (Hons.) thesis, University of Tasmania.
• 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 (as synonyms of H. bleekeri)
• Lourie, S.A., Pollom, R.A. & Foster, S.J. 2016. A global revision of the Seahorses Hippocampus Rafinesque 1810 (Actinopterygii: Syngnathiformes): Taxonomy and biogeography with recommendations for further research. Zootaxa 4146(1): 1–66 [13]

 

Generic Combinations

• Macleayina abdominalis (Lesson, 1827). —
  Whitley, G.P. 1964. A survey of Australian Ichthyology. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 89(1): 11-127 [38] (changed combination cited)

 

Introduction

There has been considerable disagreement relating to synonymy within this species. Some authors (Kuiter 2001, 2008, Edgar 2008) treated the southern Australian species as H. bleekeri, distinct from the New Zealand and eastern Australian H. abdominalis. Subsequently Kuiter (2009) suggested that H. abdominalis was probably endemic to New Zealand and treated the eastern Australian form as cf. abdominalis. However, several genetic studies have not found major differences between these three forms (see Lourie et al 2016).

 

Distribution

States

New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Newcastle, NSW (32°52'S) to Ceduna, SA (133°30'E), and south to Lune River, TAS (43°26'S); temperate, south-west Pacific (New Zealand).

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IMCRA

Great Australian Bight Shelf Transition (32), Spencer Gulf Shelf Province (33), Western Bass Strait Shelf Transition (34), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Tasmanian Shelf Province (36), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38)

Ecological Descriptors

Continental shelf, estuary, inshore, rock reef.

Extra Ecological Information

0-100m

 

General References

Armstrong, P. 2001. Genetic and Morphological Variation in Pot-bellied Seahorses (Hippocampus abdominalis): Is there evidence for two species? Unpublished B.Sc. (Hons.) thesis, University of Tasmania.

Dawson, C.E. 1994. Family Syngnathidae. pp. 440-475 figs 391-426 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs. [447]

Edgar, G.J. 2008. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Sydney : Reed New Holland 2nd edn, 624 pp. [482] (as Hippocampus abdominalis and H. bleekeri)

Foster, S.J. & Vincent, A.C.J. 2004. Life history and ecology of seahorses: implications for conservation and management. Journal of Fish Biology 65: 1-61

Gomon, M.F. 1997. A remarkable new pygmy seahorse (Syngnathidae Hippocampus) from south-eastern Australia, with a redescription of H. bargibanti Whitley from New Caledonia. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 56(1): 245-253 [246]

Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp. [97]

Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp. [74]

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 [322, 323] (as Hippocampus abdominalis and H. bleekeri)

Kuiter, R.H. 2008. Syngnathidae. pp. 448-479 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp. (as H. abdominalis and H. bleekeri)

Kuiter, R.H. 2009. Seahorses and their relatives. Seaford, Australia : Aquatic Photographics pp. 331. (as H. abdominalis and H. bleekeri)

Last, P.R., Scott, E.O.G. & Talbot, F.H. 1983. Fishes of Tasmania. Hobart : Tasmanian Fisheries Development Authority 563 pp. figs.

Lourie, S.A. 2016. Seahorses. A life-size guide to every species. Chicago : The Unversity of Chicago Press 160 pp. [84]

Lourie, S.A., Foster, S.J., Cooper, E.W.T. & Vincent, A.C.J. 2004. A Guide to the Identification of Seahorses. Project Seahorse and TRAFFIC North America. Washington, D.C. Vancouver : University of British Columbia and World Wildlife Fund 114 pp. [22]

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. [69]

Martin-Smith, K.M. & Vincent, A.C.J. 2006. Exploitation and trade of Australian seahorses, pipehorses, sea dragons and pipefishes (Family Syngnathidae). Oryx 40: 141-151

McCulloch, A.R. 1929. A check-list of the fishes recorded from Australia. Part I. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 5: 1–144 [97] (as Hippocampus abdominalis, H. bleekeri and H. (Macleayina) agnesae)

Neira, F.J., Miskiewicz, A.G. & Trnski, T. 1998. Larvae of temperate Australian fishes: laboratory guide for larval fish identification. Nedlands, Western Australia : University of Western Australia press 474 pp.

Nickel, J. & Cursons, R. 2012. Genetic diversity and population structure of the pot-belly seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 46(2): 207-218

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. [825, 826] (as Hippocampus abdominalis and H. bleekeri)

Paxton, J.R., Hoese, D.F., Allen, G.R. & Hanley, J.E. (eds) 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Pisces: Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 7 665 pp. [421]

Pognoski, 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 375 pp.

Poortenaar, C.W., Woods, C.M.C., James, P.J., Giambartolomei, F.M. & Lokman, P.M. 2004. Reproductive biology of female big-bellied seahorses. Journal of Fish Biology 64: 717-725 [717]

Stewart, A.L. 2015. Families Syngnathidae, Aulostomidae, Fistulariidae, Macroramphosidae. pp. 1050-1072 in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 3 pp. 577-1152. [1055] (treated as endemic to New Zealand)

Wilson, A.B. & Martin-Smith, K.M. 2007. Genetic monogamy despite social promiscuity in the pot-bellied seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis). Molecular Ecology 16(11): 2345-2352 [2345]

Woods, C.M.C. 2000. Preliminary observations on breeding and rearing the seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis (Teleostei: Syngnathidae) in captivity. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 34: 475-485 [475]

Woods, C.M.C. 2002. Natural diet of the seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 36: 655-660 [655]

Woods, C.M.C. 2005. Reproductive output of male seahorses, Hippocampus abdominalis, from Wellington Harbour, New Zealand: implications for conservation. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 39(4): 811-888 [811]

Woods, C.M.C., Morgan, S.K., Martin-Smith, K., Pogonoski, J.J., Paxton, J.R., Pollard, D.A. & Morgan, A.J. 2006. Hippocampus abdominalis. In: IUCN 2014. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.1. Version 2014.1.. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/10057/0

Woods, C.M.C. & Martin-Smith, K.M. 2004. Visible Implant fluorescent Elastomer tagging of the big-bellied seahorse, Hippocampus abdominalis. Fisheries Research 66(3): 363-371 [363]

 

Common Name References

Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs. [447] (Bigbelly Seahorse)

Grant, E.M. 2002. Guide to Fishes. Redcliffe : EM Grant Pty Ltd 880 pp. [178] (Pot-bellied Seahorse)

Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp. [97] (Big-belly 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 [322] (Eastern Potbelly Seahorse)

Parish, S. 1974. Australia's Ocean of Life. Newport, Victoria : Wedneil Publications 128 pp. [55] (Big-bellied Sea-horse)

Seafood Services Australia 2008. Australian Fish Names Standard. http://www.fishnames.com.au/. (Bigbelly Seahorse)

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
27-Jul-2017	SYNGNATHIFORMES	05-May-2017	MODIFIED	Dr Doug Hoese Dr Matthew Lockett
25-Jun-2015	SYNGNATHIFORMES	08-Oct-2015	MODIFIED	Dr Dianne Bray (NMV) Dr Doug Hoese (AM) Dr Matthew Lockett (AM)
		27-Jul-2010	MODIFIED