Longsnout seahorse

Photo: mollylynch · CC BY-NC

The longsnout seahorse is a master of camouflage, anchoring itself to gorgonians and soft corals with its prehensile tail and ambushing tiny crustaceans. Males carry fertilised eggs in a brood pouch and give birth to fully formed juveniles — up to 1,600 per brood. Populations are declining across the Caribbean from habitat loss and collection for the curio trade, making intact sponge reef habitat like Japanese Gardens critical refuges.