Longsnout Seahorse

Photo: seahorses_of_the_world · © all rights reserved

Longsnout seahorses are resident throughout Saco do Mamanguá, using their prehensile tails to grip wire coral and gorgonian branches on the submerged walls where they ambush tiny crustaceans drifting past in the current. Brazil's Atlantic coast supports one of the world's largest known populations of this species, and the sheltered inlet conditions at Mamanguá — with ample structure and low boat traffic — represent ideal habitat. Individuals maintain long-term home ranges on specific coral colonies, making it common to find the same animals across multiple dives.