Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) - Marine Life - Liveaboard Diving
Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) - Marine Life - Liveaboard Diving

Pygmy Seahorse

The Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) is also known as Bargibant's Seahorse. As its name suggests, it's a much smaller species of seahorse, which is a bony fish. They grow no larger than 2cm in length and are incredibly hard to find in their Gorgonian Seafan hosts. Each seahore's body colours match that of their seafan host, including the texture of their tubicles matches the seafan's branches. There have been more sub-species being found recently, mostly in Indonesia, The Philippines and Japan.

Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) on its Gorgonian Seafan
Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) Indonesia
Credit: Johan Folmeus
A Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) camouflaging well
Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) at Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Credit: Johan Folmeus
A pink-coloured Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) matching its host seafan's colour and texture
Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) in Indonesia
Credit: Johan Folmeus
Rare, hard to find, & cute, the Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti)
Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti)
Credit: Johan Folmeus
Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti)
Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti)
Credit: Pablo Mallegol Dahlgren
Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti)
Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti)
Credit: Pablo Mallegol-Dahlgren
Pygmy Seahorse
Pygmy Seahorse
Pygmy Seahorse Hippocampus bargibanti
Scientific Rank
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata (Chordates)
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order: Syngnathiformes (Seahorses & Pipefish)
Family: Syngnathidae (Syngnathidae)
Genus: Hippocampus (Hippocampus)
Species: Hippocampus bargibanti
Size
Average Size: 2 centimetres

No Troubles Just Bubbles' divers who recently saw Pygmy Seahorse

Kira
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Pawara
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock
When: Jan 2024
Xin
Spotted in: Indonesia Indonesia
Diving from boat: Komodo Sea Dragon
Trip destinations: Komodo
When: May 2023

Pygmy Seahorse - Where Can You Find Them When Scuba diving?

Thailand

Data not yet available

Maldives

Data not yet available

Myanmar/Burma

Data not yet available

Malaysia

Data not yet available

Egypt

Data not yet available

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