Long-snouted Seahorse

Photo: seahorses_of_the_world · © all rights reserved

Long-snouted seahorses inhabit the dense posidonia meadows of Basiluzzo from spring through autumn, anchoring themselves to leaf blades with their prehensile tails and remaining almost perfectly camouflaged against the seagrass fronds. They feed on tiny crustaceans and amphipods that shelter within the meadow canopy, and breeding pairs perform elegant morning greeting dances observed by patient divers who know exactly where to look. Basiluzzo's thriving posidonia — among the deepest-growing meadows in the area — provides ideal habitat that supports one of the most reliable seahorse populations in the Aeolian Islands.