Seahorse couples are essentially serial monogamists, sticking with one partner for long periods of time. 15. Anthony explains new research into how these this adorable super killer does it's deadly work. It turns out the trick is in the very movements that make us think it is a harmless, cute, kind of clumsy critter. Seahorses pair for life. When we look at a seahorse, we see a creature that barely seems to move -- it seems to more drift, or float with the current. Choose the least dangerous animal in the following list: great white shark, seahorse, vampire squid. For example, in a number of areas around the world, raw sewage is sent directly into the water. Male seahorses carry the eggs in his pouch until they hatch before releasing fully formed miniature seahorses into the water. For a number of years, seahorses were caught, dried, and turned into decorative mementos such as pins, key rings, paperweights, and even earrings (Laskey, 2003; Otfinoski, 2008). Other threats to seahorse life by humans include being overfished, being used in medicines, being made into souvenirs or decorations, and being purchased as pets. Also, now that we have your attention on these phenomenal creatures, it's a good time to mention that they are in serious danger of extinction. Wild seahorses are not as likely to reproduce in a captive environment which is another factor that decreases seahorse population. No, seahorses are not dangerous. Raging bacterial infections such as those associated with the consumption of seahorse flesh are spread through contamination of uninfected seahorses with infected seahorses. According to findings recently published in the journal of Nature Communications, the seahorse is one of the ocean's deadliest assassins , by some measures even deadlier than the shark. Looking like a cross between a tiny pony and an eel, seahorses - and their close relatives, sea dragons and pipefish - don’t look like any other type of fish on the planet. Cute little seahorses are DEATH MACHINES! Remaining committed to a single partner enables seahorses to pass through multiple reproduction cycles during each mating season, heightening the likelihood of successful, continuous procreation over time. If you picked seahorse, you're dead wrong. In 1997 one of the larger known species of seahorse was sold for up to $550 a pound in Hong Kong. Seahorses, either real or mythical, have always been objects of human fascination for centuries. The Impact of Horses on Human Health. Seahorses are food for different crustaceans, as well as fish. Stress-related heart attacks, anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure are on the rise nationwide. Here, I'll give you a minute to absorb that. The number of the babies can be as little as 5 or as many as 1,500 young. It's not bluefin tuna. The most dangerous problem with high potassium is its potential to cause the heart to stop. Pollution is a major threat to the survival of seahorses today. Unfortunately, seahorse harvesting is a lucrative business which provides a comfortable income for fishermen. It's not barracuda. Seahorses inhabit coastal areas around the world, and the activities of humans that impact shallow ocean environments directly affect seahorses as well. This approach works an astounding 90% of the time, making the seahorse one of the deadliest predators in the ocean.". While it may be hard to accept, scientists have discovered that adult dolphins sometimes kill the babies of other dolphins. Even in the slow-motion replay, the move is lightning fast: And a 90% accuracy?? http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/ph/Global/seasia/image/2006/8/mangrove-swamp-choked-with-dis.jpg, http://natgeotv.com.au/content/cache/600x600/gallery/seahorses-freaky-fish/SeahorseDeadOrAlive_08.jpgf; and, http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/media/images/81390000/jpg/_81390147_f6ec50b3-13c5-41b9-ba23-ba999e2157d6.jpg, http://theliquidearth.org/2012/10/seahorses-under-siege/. Yep, the seahorse is a shockingly good hunter. Although the seahorse is a beautiful and fascinating creature, it is not kept well as a pet. Seahorse courtship begins with a daily "dance," during which the male and female gracefully swim together. 4). And now scientists have pinpointed the genetic pathways that led to many of its unique features, such as a loss of teeth and pelvic fins, a poor sense of smell, and the ability for males to carry and birth their young. “An estimated 24.5 million seahorses are sold annually for use in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)” (Saarman, 2007, para. Seahorses have no teeth or stomach, but they use their long snouts to suck up crustaceans and other zooplankton. Seahorses graze almost constantly, using their long snouts to suck up crustaceans. While some seahorses are physically adapted to match their surroundings, others can … “Project Seahorse is an international team of biologists, development specialists, and other professionals committed to conserving and managing seahorses, their relatives and habitats, while respecting human needs.” When seahorses are kept in an aquarium, there should not be more than four seahorses in a 100liter aquarium tank. July 9, 2014, by ELCR. It's not sharks. In addition to their iconic appearance, seahorses possess many interesting attributes. Potassium causes changes in the electrical impulses in the heart muscles, which result in abnormal heart rhythms, cardiac arrhythmia or heart palpitations. They are also known to cause serious forms of pollution to the environment and that makes it dangerous for the seahorses to continue living in such harsh conditions. They are important predators on bottom-dwelling organisms; removing them may disrupt ecosystems. Mind-blowing. As stated above, seahorses attach to coral reefs and call it their home. Humans are like ungainly packets of meat when paddling in the ocean and should be easy prey compared to fast-moving fish and ... and the fewer still who swim in water inhabited by dangerous … Humans and Seahorses Index. If hyperkalemia is left untreated, the heart will stop as its electrical activity is suppressed. 14. And who would have thought that such gentle, slow creatures could be so mightily fast when it comes to snagging a meal. Seahorses are usually found in shallow tropical and temperate waters across the world. People do like to keep them at home in aquariums; Seahorses in Popular Culture One of the most common elements of seahorses used in popular culture has to do with them being used in various types of herbs by the Chinese. In China, only the wealthy citizens are able to afford harvested seahorses, as the wholesale market may demand as much as $950 per pound (Wallis, 2004). In this video you see the extremes of seahorse movement -- first moving so slow you're about to turn away from boredom and then so fast you aren't sure if you actually did see it move, you just know its prey is suddenly gone. Seahorses need to be protected for ecological, biological, economic, and medical reasons. However, there are also dangerous wastes that are consciously dumped directly into the ocean. Seahorses have clearly figured out how to make the most of their movements. According to a 2002 study published in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases, nine bottlenose dolphin calves were found in Virginia in 1996 and 1997 that had "died of severe blunt-force trauma.". 5 of Their Most Extraordinary Abilities, 10 Creatures With Exceptionally Deceptive Disguises, 8 Strange Shark Facts to Sink Your Teeth Into, 16 Ocean Creatures That Live in Total Darkness, 10 of the Largest Living Creatures in the Sea, 17 Photos of Animals Enjoying the Nightlife, Fish Food: 13 Marine Animals Named by Hungry Biologists, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Seahorses in Aquariums Due to the unique appearance of the seahorse they are a very common pet. In many parts of the world, this practice is now illegal or shunned, and certain countries – such as the United States – have limits set in place for seahorse harvesting (Otfinoski, 2008; Wallis, 2004). They are colorful characters. It is the seahorse. Seahorse dads take up the role of nourishing and bringing baby seahorses to term, akin to human mums' pregnancies. They might eat as many as 3,000 tiny shrimp in just one day. This courtship happens every morning for several days -- the final dance can last up to eight hours -- until the couple finally does the deed. Trichomonas vaginalis infects only humans, not seahorses. Seahorses have been a topic of fascination for artists for centuries, and are still used in Asian traditional medicine. She is the author of The Ethiopian Wolf: Hope at the Edge of Extinction. Seahorse (also written sea-horse and sea horse) is the name given to 46 species of small marine fish in the genus Hippocampus. “Seahorse babies get a lot of nutrients via the egg yolk provided by their mothers but the pouch of the fathers has also evolved to meet the complex challenges of providing additional nutrients and immunological protection, and ensuring gas exchange and waste removal. Vote for Your Favorite Wildlife Photographer of the Year, 19 Bizarre and Beautiful Starfish Species, This Bird Pretends It's a Toxic, Spiny Caterpillar, Snakes Are Amazing! Seahorses Are One of the Deadliest ... in the following video that discusses first seahorse biology and then covers why they are disappearing at the hands of humans: ... 9 Dangerous … Their odd head morphology allows this technique to be successful, because it actually doesn’t disturb the water very much, kind of like how a boat moves through a no wake zone in a lake. Do humans benefit from the seahorse? Although, if they did, we’d never know. Seahorses range in size—from as small as a pine nut to as large as a banana. But that very slow movement allows it to sneak up on prey undetected, since it barely disturbs the water around it. If these awful things do not stop, they are in danger of being wiped out forever. This may result in an increase of nutrients that invite invasions of new organisms into the environment which can weaken or destabilize its ecosystem thereby threatening the seahorse and many other forms of ocean life (Wallis, 2004). Then with a lightening-fast movement of its head, the prey is in the seahorse's mouth before anyone but the seahorse realizes what just happened. The demand has put great risk of extinction on these timid creatures. There are around 53 different individual species of seahorses … Fascinating Seahorse Facts. Seahorse medicines are used to treat issues such as broken bones, asthma, and heart disease. “Surprisingly, seahorse dads do a lot of the same things human mums do,” said Dr Whittington. Dating back to 2004, the seahorses were placed on the Appendix 'Two,' of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna ("The life cycle of seahorses," 2010). We doubt even ninjas have that kind of success rate. Only the male becomes pregnant and many seahorse species are mate for life. Pollution is a major threat to the survival of seahorses today. Learn more here, and in the following video that discusses first seahorse biology and then covers why they are disappearing at the hands of humans: Jaymi Heimbuch is a writer and photographer specializing in wildlife conservation. Seahorses are carnivorous and feeds on small crustacea, which include daphnia, cyclops, larvae, and mysids. Because of their need to constantly eat in order to survive, many captive seahorses die from starvation because they are not fed the proper diet in the correct quantities (Otfinoski, 2008). Because of the belief that it is a magical, miracle ingredient, these animals are ground up and used in more than 80 medicinal products sold in China and other countries (Encyclopaedia Britannica Advocacy for Animals, 2007). They are responsible for destroying the corral where they live. Because of human threats such as these, the seahorse is close to becoming an endangered species. And fast is right. The smallest seahorse is a pygmy seahorse species (Hippocampus denise), and, at 16 mm long, is smaller than most fingernails! Seahorses cannot reproduce quickly enough to replace the numbers that are harvested for the supposed medicinal use (Laskey, 2003; Otfinoski, 2008). Seahorses are strange little fish that eat constantly, ... so human activities like pollution, ... 9 Dangerous Coral Reef Creatures. Seahorses are one of the most intriguing species of marine life. "Hippocampus" comes from the Ancient Greek hippokampos (ἱππόκαμπος hippókampos), itself from hippos (ἵππος híppos) meaning "horse" and kampos (κάμπος kámpos) meaning "sea monster". No, one of the deadliest creatures in the sea is not a species we even think of as a predator at all. When mating, the female seahorse releases up to 50 eggs into a pouch on the male’s abdomen. I don't even have a 90% accuracy rate bringing home the right groceries from the store. Seahorses make a disti… Often the causative agent, the bacterial genus Vibrio in most cases of flesh erosion, will lay … They are also kept in aquariums, although more aquarists are getting their seahorses from "seahorse ranches" now rather than from the wild. Seahorses and Humans . 13. Because seahorses move so slowly, they are able to sneak up on them virtually undetected. Their biggest threat is humans, who use them to make medicine. As humans mine minerals from the earth, construct houses and cities, consume fuel, and fertilize food crops with harmful pesticides, waste from these activities may work its way into the sea by process of runoff. When placed in an aquarium, the seahorse experiences stress due to an unfamiliar environment which in turn adversely affects its immune system triggering illness from which the creature cannot recover. 16. A fish of the most unique, one of the most bizarre creatures that can be found in the sea, perhaps the most fascinating fish, is certainly the seahorse. Unfortunately seahorses are edible, and as regarded as a delicacy in China, Japan and other Asian countries. Do female seahorses give male seahorses trichomoniasis? The seahorse is elusive and seeks shelter among coral reefs, seaweed, mangroves, and estuaries. Their population is dense in the coastal areas and especially where seaweed, such as eel grass grow in plenty. Once the seahorse is extremely close to the prey, it is able to jerk its head extremely quickly and consume the tiny copepod. Shutterstock/vkilikov. Coral reefs, mangrove swamps, and sea grass beds are arguably the most endangered ocean habitats as well as the habitats where seahorses … Other adult seahorses can reach lengths of 35 cm. I F**kning Love Science writes, "Copepods are speedy little creatures that can zip away from predators after sensing impending danger from movement in the water. The biggest predator though of the seahorse comes in the form of humans. Stress is everywhere in today’s society, and aside from being unpleasant, there are many dangerous health risks associated with it. Male seahorses and sea dragons get pregnant and bear young—a unique adaptation in the animal kingdom.. Seahorses are members of the pipefish family. There are no other creatures like them on the planet, and people of all ages are amazed by how these animals look, behave, and move beneath the waves. As humans mine minerals from the earth, construct houses and cities, consume fuel, and fertilize food crops with harmful pesticides, waste from these activities may work its way into the sea by process of runoff. It’s super effective: seahorses manage to bag their targeted copepod 94% of the time. With their horse-shaped head, eyes as tiny as glass fishbowls, kangaroo-like pouches, chiffon frills-like fins and monkey-like tails, seahorses have always intrigued and enchanted human since ancient times.
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