Pot Belly Seahorse

Hippocampus abdominalis

Pot Belly Seahorse

Hippocampus abdominalis

Other Common Names
Big-belly Seahorse, Eastern Potbelly Seahorse, Large-bellied Seahorse

Connected Coasts

Other Common Names

Big-belly Seahorse, Eastern Potbelly Seahorse, Large-bellied Seahorse

At the Aquarium

Connected Coasts

Appearance

The pot belly seahorse is the largest species of seahorse, growing up to 35 cm in length. The color of the pot belly seahorse ranges from nearly white to blotchy yellow to variable brown. This seahorse has dark spots and splotches on its head and trunk. Males have more dark blotches than females and tend to have a yellow slash near the top of the pouch. Males are also heavier, have longer tails and shorter, thicker snouts.

Their tails can act as an anchor. The seahorse wraps it around seagrass stems, coral heads and other objects.

Habitat

Sheltered coastal bays and harbors. Typically found at depths less than 50 m.

Diet

Crustaceans, particularly amphipods, caridean shrimp and peracarids. The pot belly seahorse consumes prey by suction feeding. Their long thin snouts help them find and vacuum up food in small spaces, like between rocks or corals.

Life History

The breeding season of the pot belly seahorse is year round, peaking in spring to summer. The first breeding occurs when a pot belly seahorse is about 12 months old.

After courtship, a female pot belly seahorse deposits eggs into the male seahorse’s pouch. The eggs are fertilized and the male carries the eggs in the pouch for about 30 days.

After about a month, the male pot belly seahorse forces the young out of his pouch. They resemble miniature adult seahorses.

The young are independent from birth and receive no further support from their parents.

The pot belly seahorse typically lives between 3-5 years.

IUCN Status

Least Concern

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

The pot belly seahorse is considered a secondary consumer, playing an important role in transferring energy up the food chain.

Seahorses have been used in traditional forms of medicine for hundreds of years.

South-eastern Australia and all around New Zealand.

This animal is not native to the Oregon Coast, however is found in the larger Pacific Ocean. It lives in the Aquarium as part of our Connected Coasts gallery.

Unlike most seahorse species, the pot belly seahorse is a relatively strong swimmer and can swim hundreds of meters over the course of a day.

Seahorses have eyes that move and swivel independently, helping them monitor their surroundings and spot potential threats.

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Citations & Other Resources

Pollom, R. 2017. Hippocampus abdominalis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017.

Foster, S. J., and A. C. J. Vincent. 2004. Life history and ecology of seahorses: implications for conservation and management. Journal of Fish Biology 65:1–61.

Nickel, J., and R. Cursons. 2012. Genetic diversity and population structure of the pot-belly seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 46:207–218.

Romanchek, B. A. H., G. Uetz, and P. M. Scheifele. 2024. Characterization of sound production by the pot-bellied seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis) during feeding. Journal of Fish Biology. 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1111/ jfb.15747

Lourie, S. A. et al. 2004. A Guide to the Identification of Seahorses. Project Seahorse and TRAFFIC North America. Washington D.C.: University of British Columbia and World Wildlife Fund.

Back to All Animals

Pot Belly Seahorse

Pot Belly Seahorse

Other Common Names

At the Aquarium

Appearance

Habitat

Diet

Life History

IUCN Status

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Citations & Other Resources

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