Parturition and Morphological Development of Larvae and Juvenile in Hippocampus kuda from Korea

Abstract

The newborn, Hippocampus kuda larvae were 6.97-8.81, standard length (SL) mm (mean 7.89 mm) and mouth and anuse were open. Dorsal fin rays 15-18 and pectoral fin-rays were counted 8 and had 10-11+21 myotomes, body's bony plate ring being developed strongly in the central axis of myotomes part. 4 days after bearing, the SL was 7.02-9.47 mm (mean 8.24 mm) and nostrils began to open. 12 days after bearing, larvae attained to 8.91-11.2 SL mm (mean 10.0 mm). From this time, their unique predation habit appeared. 21 days bearing, larvae attained to 12.1-14.8 SL mm (mean 13.4 mm) the and thorn of back was enlarged among the plate formed around ring. 41 days bearing, seahorses attained to 17.1-17.8 SL mm (mean 17.4 mm) and the number of body's bony plate ring of the top of rings trunk was 11 and on the tail of them was 33-36, similar to figure of adult.