Seahorse Species Research Articles

Life history and population dynamics of an endangered seahorse (Hippocampus capensis) within an artificial habitat.

Species-specific life-history information is critical for successful conservation, particularly in establishing an accurate baseline status. Obtaining such information is challenging for most species, but in particular for rare and threatened marine species. To facilitate future conservation of the endangered Knysna seahorse (Hippocampus capensis) this study aimed to determine important life-history information for this species. Visible implant fluorescent elastomer (VIFE) tags were used to mark 78 seahorses within a residential marina estate in the Knysna estuary, South Africa, in February 2018. Using a mark-resight approach, the size and movement patterns of the population and growth rate of seahorses were determined over a 14-month period. The closed population estimate for H. capensis, within Thesen Islands Marina, was estimated to be 134 (118-152 95% C.I.) in February 2018 compared to only 72 (48-108 95% C.I.) in February 2019. The species showed rapid initial growth with males and females having similar rates of growth based on the specialised von Bertalanffy growth function model. The importance of Reno mattresses as a habitat for H. capensis was confirmed based on the high abundance and site fidelity of the population, which emphasises the conservation potential of heavily modified environments for threatened seahorse species. The use of VIFE tags was deemed effective in studying this endangered seahorse and allowed the collection of important information for this species which can be used in future Red List assessments and conservation actions.

Morphological and molecular identification of seahorses (Hippocampus spp.) from the coast of Sumatra Island, Indonesia

Abstract. Hanifaturahmah F, Perwitasari-Farajallah D, Butet NA, Nurilmala M, Sudrajat AO, Ochiai Y. 2020. Morphological and molecular identification of seahorses (Hippocampus spp.) from the coast of Sumatra Island, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 4116-4123. Seahorses (Hippocampus spp.) species are difficult to be identified based on their color, shape, and body size, especially for their juveniles. The purposes of this study were to identify seahorse species from Indonesian waters (Riau Islands and Lampung, Sumatra Island) based on the sequence variations in the 16S rRNA and COI genes and to analyze the kinship of these seahorses. The morphological identification was performed, followed by the validation of the identification based on a molecular approach. Both identification methods showed the one species from Riau Islands was H. kuda, while the others (n=2) were H. comes. All specimens from Lampung (n=3) were H. comes. The specimens of H. comes from Riau Islands and Lampung were the same haplotype based on the 16 S rRNA sequence. Based on the COI, H. comes from Riau Islands (n=2) were found to be one haplotype (haplotype 1; n=2), while those from Lampung (n=3) consisted of two haplotypes (haplotype 1; n=2 and haplotype 2; n=1). Phylogenetic analysis based on both genes revealed that H. comes from Riau Islands and Lampung belongs to the same clade, while H. kuda from Riau Islands (n=1) was included in the lineage B (Indian Ocean).

Site fidelity of Hippocampus guttulatus Cuvier, 1829\xa0at Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Southern Italy; Ionian Sea)

Lack of detailed knowledge on ecological niche, life cycles, spatial distribution, reproductive biology and space use strongly affects the selection of useful tools and measures in the conservation of threatened marine species. Especially for sedentary and slow species, behaviour and movement capacities are supposed to be the most important functional traits. Indeed, behavioural variability concerning available space and the close presence of individuals is considered a crucial trait for the population dynamics assessments, especially when disturbances of various causes are present in the environment. The present study aimed to investigate the site fidelity and degree of movement of Hippocampus guttulatus, an emblematic and threatened Mediterranean seahorse species. With this aim, a number of seahorses were tagged and monitored throughout two years within a limited area of the lagoon of Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Southern Italy). The studied individuals were initially morphometrically measured for size, sex and life-cycle stage and subsequently monitored through repeated four-month surveys each year. Obtained results indicated high site fidelity regardless of habitat type. Movement pattern was in line with the data on congeneric species, although values were slightly higher. The analyses showed differences in movement degree among different sexes and life-cycle stages and indicated greater mobility of adult females compared to males and juveniles. The investigated parameters showed a great variability suggesting that even small-scale environmental factors can influence the species mobility. Finally, a change in the population structure has been observed, with the loss of large individuals in 2016 and reduced recruitment in 2017. These findings indicated the possible presence of stressors that could lead to the alteration of the seahorse population at Mar Piccolo of Taranto.

Development and evaluation of fish eDNA metabarcoding assays facilitate the detection of cryptic seahorse taxa (family: Syngnathidae)

AbstractEnvironmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding methods have demonstrated their potential as noninvasive techniques for the monitoring and conservation of marine fishes, including rare and endangered taxa. However, the majority of these investigations have focused on large‐bodied taxa such as sharks and sturgeons. In contrast, eDNA studies on small‐bodied cryptic taxa are much less common. As a case in point, seahorses (members of the Syngnathidae family) have never been detected by eDNA, despite the fact that globally there are 14 species classified as “Threatened” by the IUCN. Here, we critically evaluate the ability of two existing broad‐spectrum fish metabarcoding assays (MiFish and 16S Fish) and explore the efficacy of two newly designed fish metabarcoding assays (16S_FishSyn_Short and 16S_FishSyn_Long) to detect Syngnathidae amidst a wide spectrum of fish species. Furthermore, a custom Western Australian 16S rRNA fish database was created to increase the likelihood of correct taxonomic assignments. With the newly designed assays, we detected four Syngnathidae species in a targeted eDNA survey of the Perth metropolitan area (Western Australia). These detections include the seahorse species Hippocampus subelongatus and Hippocampus breviceps, which represents the first time seahorse species have been detected using eDNA. The existing MiFish and 16S Fish assays did not detect any Syngnathidae. This evaluation of all four fish metabarcoding assays reinforces the view that every PCR assay has “blind spots”. In the context of complex environmental samples, no assay is universal and false negatives will occur due to a combination of PCR efficacy, primer binding, assay sensitivity, degeneracies in the primers, template competition, and amplicon length. Taken together, these data indicate that eDNA methodologies, with ongoing optimizations, will become an integral part of monitoring small‐bodied cryptic taxa such as seahorses, gobies, and blennies and can assist in mapping species’ distributions and prioritizing conservation areas.

Field studies of seahorse population density, structure and habitat use in a semi-closed north-eastern Mediterranean marine area (Stratoni, North Aegean Sea).

The present study was carried out in the marine area of Stratoni, Greece, where two seahorse species are present (Hippocampus hippocampus and Hippocampus guttulatus). Two surveys were conducted (September 2016 and May 2019) to gather information regarding seahorse species' abundance, distribution and habitat characteristics. Four different seahorse natural and artificial habitat types were identified. The results revealed that the presence of H. hippocampus was relatively high, especially at sites with artificial structures, whereas the presence of H. guttulatus was rare. Data collected can provide baseline information for future population assessments.

Hippocampus nalu, a new species of pygmy seahorse from South Africa, and the first record of a pygmy seahorse from the Indian Ocean (Teleostei, Syngnathidae).

A new species and the first confirmed record of a true pygmy seahorse from Africa, Hippocampus nalusp. nov., is herein described on the basis of two specimens, 18.9–22 mm SL, collected from flat sandy coral reef at 14–17 meters depth from Sodwana Bay, South Africa. The new taxon shares morphological synapomorphies with the previously described central Indo-Pacific pygmy seahorses, H. colemani, H. japapigu, H. pontohi, and H. satomiae, and H. waleananus, including diminutive size, twelve trunk rings, prominent cleithral ring and supracleithrum, spines on the fifth and twelfth superior and lateral trunk ridges, respectively, and prominent wing-like protrusions present on the first and/or second superior trunk rings posterior to the head. Hippocampus nalusp. nov. is primarily distinguished from its pygmy seahorse congeners by highly distinct spine morphology along the anterior segments of the superior trunk ridge. Comparative molecular analysis reveals that the new species demonstrates significant genetic divergence in the mitochondrial COI gene from the morphologically similar H. japapigu and H. pontohi (estimated uncorrected p-distances of 16.3% and 15.2%, respectively). Hippocampus nalusp. nov. represents the eighth member of the pygmy seahorse clade to be described from the Indo-Pacific, the first confirmed record from the African continent and the Indian Ocean, and an extension of more than 8000 km beyond the previously known range of pygmy seahorses from the Central and Western Indo-Pacific.

Morphological and molecular evidence for first records and range extension of the Japanese seahorse, Hippocampus mohnikei (Bleeker 1853) in a bay-estuarine system of Goa, central west coast of India.

Accurate information of taxonomy and geographic range of seahorse species (genus Hippocampus) is the first step in preparing threat assessments and designing effective conservation measures. Here, we report first records and a range extension of the Japanese seahorse, Hippocampus mohnikei (Bleeker, 1853) from the Mandovi estuarine ecosystem of Goa, central west coast of India (CWCI) based on morphological and molecular analyses. The morphometric and meristic traits, particularly short snout (29-35% head length), double cheek spine, low coronet, long tail (51.2-57.9% of standard length), 11 trunk rings, 37-39 tail rings, 15-16 dorsal and 12-14 fin rays observed in four collected specimens matched with the reported key diagnostic morphological criteria of vouchered specimens of H. mohnikei. The seahorse mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and cytochrome b (Cyt b) genes were partially sequenced for conclusive genetic identification of the species under study. Molecular analysis showed that all four individuals clustered together suggesting a monophyletic lineage. Using the maximum similarity with GenBank database, maximum likelihood network and subsequent morphological analysis, the identity of the collected seahorse species was reconfirmed as H. mohnikei. With this new report, the geographic range of H. mohnikei extended significantly to the west from its previously known range. This new sighting of H. mohnikei could indicate a long-distance dispersal facilitated by the prevailing oceanic circulation in the Indo-Pacific region or increased habitat suitability in bay-estuarine systems of Goa, CWCI. Comparison of the pair-wise genetic distances (Kimura 2-parameter) based on COI and Cyt b sequences revealed that the specimens examined in this study are genetically closer to H. mohnikei populations from Vietnam and Thailand than they are to those in Japan and China. To test the hypothesis whether H. mohnikei are vagrants or previously unreported established population, long-term inter-annual sampling and analyses are warranted.

Biochemical composition of wild and cultured seahorses (Hippocampus kudaBleeker)

The seahorse has been used for thousands of years as an important traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in China. Many species of wild seahorse have become endangered, but demand for them continues to grow rapidly. Therefore, it is urgent to cultivate seahorses to relieve the strain on natural populations and meet the market demand for this TCM. In this study, medicinal components of wild and cultured yellow seahorses (Hippocampus kuda Bleeker) were analysed and compared. Different parts of the body (cortex and bone), male and female specimens, and seahorses of different ages were analysed. Crude protein, crude fat, trace elements, calcium, amino acid, fatty acid, steroid and cholesterol content were measured. The results showed that moisture content accounted for 70% of wet weight and ash content increased with growth. Crude protein and fat contents were higher in cultured seahorses than in wild specimens, and the content of Zn in cultured seahorses (93.26 ± 10.44%) was significantly higher than that of same‐aged wild seahorses (74.20 ± 3.83%). Amino acid and fatty acid contents of cultured seahorses also were higher than those of wild seahorses. These findings show that cultured seahorses can also be used in TCMs and that 1‐year‐old cultured seahorses have the best properties.

Realities of offering advice to governments on CITES.

What happens when those who provide conservation advice are required to take policy and management action based on that advice? Conservation advocates and scientists often try to prompt regulatory change that has significant implications for government without facing the challenge of managing such change. Through a case study, we placed ourselves in the role of the government of Thailand, facing obligations to seahorses (Hippocampus spp.) under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). These obligations include ensuring that its exports of seahorses do not damage wild populations. We applied a CITES-approved framework (which we developed) to evaluate the risks of such exports to 2 seahorse species. We used the framework to evaluate the pressures that put wild populations of the species at risk; whether current management mitigates the risk or offsets these pressures; and whether the species is responding as hoped to management policy. We based our analysis on information in published and grey literature, local knowledge, citizen science data, results of government research, and expert opinion. To meet CITES obligations, exports of both species would need to be prohibited until more precautionary adaptive management emerged. The risk of any exports of Hippocampus trimaculatus was above a tolerable level because of a lack of appropriate management to mitigate risks. In contrast, the risk of any exports of Hippocampus kuda could become tolerable if monitoring were put in place to assess the species' response to management. The process we developed for Authorities to determine risk in response to CITES guidelines was challenging to implement even without the need for government to consider social implications of conservation action. Despite the imperfections of our risk evaluation, however, it still served to support adaptive management. Conservationists need to keep implementation in mind when offering advice.

DNA barcoding for seahorse identification and its potential as antioxidant and stimulant indicator

Seahorse (Hippocampus spp.) is a species of unique marine biota showing male pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to identify seahorse species (Hippocampus spp.) through molecular approach by DNA barcoding using COI gene marker, determine the potential of seahorse as an antioxidant and an indicator of immunomodulatory properties. The research results showed the nucleotide sequences of DNA sample H1, H2, and H6 identified as H. kuda, while H3, H4, and H5 were identified as H. comes with the level of identity (homology) as much as 98%-99%. In general, the results of antioxidant activity in seahorse samples can be used as a source of natural antioxidants, namely in the form of seahorse hydrolysates and seahorse ethanol extract (IC50 50-100 ppm). The highest cell proliferation activity was from the seahorse powder group at a concentration of 250 ppm with the value of OD (Optical Density) of 0.227±0.002 and SI (Stimulant Index) of 120.74%. These results indicated that seahorses potentially have indicators of immunomodulators properties.

PCR-RFLP as a detection method of allelic diversity seahorse Hippocampus comes (Cantor, 1849) from Bintan waters, Riau Island

Seahorse (Hippocampus comes) is a unique species which reproductive system pregnancy occur in male organisms. According to IUCN and CITES, seahorses are noted as endangered or vulnerable and Appendix II species. The aimed of this study was to identify the allelic diversity based on Polymerase Chain Reaction Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Samples were collected from Tanjung Berakit, Bintan waters, Riau islands. Total of 11 individuals of the species were analyzed two types of restriction enzyme, EcoRI and AluI. This study showed that there were two types of DNA fragmentations based on restriction enzyme. EcoRI enzyme was unable to cut the target DNA fragments. AluI enzyme was capable of bypassing the target DNA fragment so it could be visualized by two alleles. The genetic diversity values of less than one showed that the genetic diversity of the population of seahorse species of H. comes in Bintan waters was low.

Conservation value of Codium tenue habitat for the endangered Knysna seahorse Hippocampus capensis.

We investigated the density and size structure of the endangered Knysna seahorse Hippocampus capensis in the macroalga Codium tenue at three sites in a residential marina estate in the Knysna Estuary, South Africa, over an 18 month period from March 2017 to August 2018. Seahorses were present in C. tenue throughout the year. Average (± SE) densities of 0.33 (± 0.03) and 0.23 (± 0.03) seahorses per kg of C. tenue were found for 2017 and 2018 respectively. Density did not vary across sites but varied significantly across months with a decreasing trend from summer to spring. The average (± SE) adult seahorse height was 75.16 mm (± 0.63 mm) and 69.09 mm (± 0.64 mm) and mass was 2.05 g (± 0.04 g) and 1.65 g (± 0.04 g) for males and females, respectively, and an even sex ratio was observed throughout the sampling period. Height varied across months, with significantly smaller seahorses found in June and August of 2017. Tail length was highly correlated with height and therefore can serve as a potential proxy for determining the height of H. capensis. This study showed that C. tenue is consistently utilised by Knysna seahorse and should therefore be considered an important habitat to protect and facilitate the ongoing conservation of this endangered seahorse species.

Morphological characteristics identification and molecular DNA barcoding analysis of Hippocampus spinosissimus

The combination of morphological characteristics and DNA barcodes was used to a systematic study of Hippocampus spinosissimus,laying the foundation for rapid and accurate identification for the medical seahorse species. According to the reported literature and observation on seahorse samples,the typical characteristics of the H. spinosissimus include highly developed spiny,much short nose,single or double cheeks and strongly developed spines bordering pouch. Genomic DNAs of H. spinosissimus and other related seahorse species were extracted using the TIANamp Marine Animals DNA Kit. The COⅠ and ATP6 genes were amplified and sequenced in both directions. After the verification by Blast,the GC content,intraspecific and interspecific genetic distance,and the Neighbor joining( NJ) phylogenetic trees were analyzed by MEGA 7. The lengths of the COⅠ and ATP6 genes were 649 bp and 602-603 bp,respectively,with the average GC content of 39. 96% and 35. 37%. The maximum intraspecific genetic distances in H. spinosissimus based on COⅠ and ATP were both far less than the minimum interspecific genetic distance between H. spinosissimus and other seahorses,suggesting a significant barcoding gap. NJ analysis results of COⅠ and ATP6 exhibited that all H. spinosissimus species clustered together,indicating that the two DNA barcode could identify H. spinosissimus from other seahorses accurately and quickly. In addition,H. spinosissimus shared a close genetic relationship between H. kelloggi according to the NJ tree. Furthermore,there exits three stable subgroup structure of H. spinosissimus,indicating that COⅠ and ATP6 barcodes could be applied the indicator for the geographical ecology research of H. spinosissimus. The results obtained the typical morphological and molecular identification characteristics of H. spinosissimus,which played central roles for the development of species identification. This study provides an important basis data for expanding the medical seahorse resources and ensuring the safety of clinical medicine.

Citizen science yields first records of Hippocampus japapigu and Hippocampus denise (Syngnathidae) from Taiwan: A hotspot for pygmy seahorse diversity.

Relatively very little is known about pygmy seahorses, and even basic information regarding their distributions is largely inconsistent and often based on unofficial reports. However, monitoring marine diversity, particularly for small and cryptic species, such as pygmy seahorses, can be both costly and time consuming. In such cases, the use of citizen science can offer an effective tool for addressing knowledge gaps caused by a lack of biodiversity-related data. Scuba divers and underwater photographers were engaged through social media in order to investigate pygmy seahorse diversity in Taiwan. Using this approach five species of pygmy seahorses were identified, including two new records for Taiwan: Hippocampus denise and Hippocampus japapigu, the latter of which is the first record of the species from outside of Japan. These new records mark Taiwan as one of the world’s pygmy seahorse diversity hotspots, matching that of Japan and Indonesia, as well as demonstrating the value of citizen science for marine biodiversity monitoring, particularly for small cryptic species.

Navigating the southern seas with small fins: Genetic connectivity of seahorses (Hippocampus abdominalis) across the Tasman Sea

AbstractAimHistorical patterns of ocean circulation in the Southern Hemisphere have been well‐studied, but the effects of coastal oceanography on marine biogeography in this region remain poorly understood relative to northern latitudes. Our study investigates historical and contemporary patterns of migration and dispersal across the Tasman Sea.LocationCoastal regions of the Tasman Sea including southeastern Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand.TaxonHippocampus abdominalis, the pot‐bellied seahorse, one of the most broadly distributed seahorse species, and the only seahorse to have successfully colonized New Zealand from Australia across 2,000 km of open ocean.MethodsWe used a multilocus genetic dataset to measure population diversity and differentiation from seahorses across the full species range to investigate contemporary and historical demography, and to reconstruct colonization routes across the Tasman Sea.ResultsGenetic data indicate that seahorses colonized New Zealand from Australia during the previous interglacial‐glacial cycle (12,000–120,000 ybp), and have evolved in relative isolation since the initial establishment event. Contemporary effective population sizes in the newly colonized range are substantially larger than those inferred in Australia, and both appear to be reduced relative to ancestral levels. Australian seahorses are genetically diverse and show high levels of population connectivity, while the distribution of genetic variation in New Zealand suggests an initial colonization of the South Island following by northward migration. Importantly, despite clear evidence that New Zealand seahorses are descendent from Australian ancestors, patterns of contemporary genetic diversity are consistent with trans‐Tasman migration from New Zealand to Australia, suggesting that genetic variation accumulated in the newly colonized range may be contributing to the genetic diversity of Australian seahorses.Main conclusionsDespite a largely independent evolutionary trajectory of seahorses separated by the Tasman Sea, haplotype sharing between populations in Australia and New Zealand suggests that secondary genetic exchange is contributing to the contemporary phylogeography of the species. Patterns of genetic structure in H. abdominalis mirror those found in other rafting species, suggesting that adult dispersal via rafting has been an important vector of marine dispersal in this species.

When more is not merrier: Using wild population dynamics to understand the effect of density on ex situ seahorse mating behaviors.

Seahorses are considered one of the most iconic examples of a monogamous species in the animal kingdom. This study investigates the relationship between stocking density and mating and competitive behavior from the context of the field biology of the dwarf seahorse, Hippocampus zosterae (Jordan & Gilbert). Animals were housed in 38 liter tanks at a range of densities and sex ratios (from 2–8 animals per tank), and their reproductive and other social behaviors were monitored from tank introduction through copulation. At low tank densities and even sex ratios but comparatively high field densities, frequency of both mating and competitive behaviors was low in trials. A higher level of males in tanks across all densities increased competition, activity levels, and aggression leading to egg transfer errors and brood expulsion, resulting in lower reproductive success. Across seahorse species, mean and maximum wild densities were consistently lower than those used in ex situ breeding, with adult sex ratios that were significantly female biased. However, significant variation exists in wild seahorse densities across species, with higher densities detected in focal/mark recapture studies and on artificial habitat structures than reported with belt transect sampling techniques. Interchange of knowledge gained in both aquarium and wild contexts will allow us to better understand the biology of this genus, and improve reproduction in captivity. Interpreting ex situ reproductive behaviors of seahorses within various densities reported from natural populations will help us predict the impact of conservation efforts and increase the likelihood of long-term persistence of populations for this threatened genus.

Weight-length relationship, morphometric and meristic characters of the yellow seahorse Hippocampus kuda Bleeker, 1852 (Syngnathiformes: Syngnathidae) from central west coast of India

Eighteen morphometric and five meristic characters of the yellow seahorse, Hippocampus kuda inhabiting the coastal waters of Ratnagiri, central west coast of India, were studied. Morphometric/numerical analysis confirmed the identity of the species from Ratnagiri coastal waters as Hippocampus Kuda Bleeker, 1852. A negative allometric relationship was observed in both genders of H. kuda. The estimated weight-length relationships (WLR) for male and female specimens, respectively were, W=0.0034 SL2.8533 and W=0.0078 SL2.5253 (r2>0.95). The biological information on morphometric and meristic characters, WLR and length-length relationship (LLR) provided in this study would be helpful for conservation and management of this vulnerable seahorse species.

Observational developments of the culture of big-belly seahorse, Hippocampus abdominalis (Lesson, 1827): A conservation effort for the future

The objective of the present study was to document the growth and survival rates of Hippocampus abdominalis, beginning from captive-born to adulthood, and finally to the complete life cycle. The most significant finding from this culture study was that, after day 193, the life cycle of first generation of captive-born H. abdominalis in AkuaTAR was successfully observed. It is claimed that this is the first successful life cycle in captivity and production of the next generation of H. abdominalis in Malaysia. Our finding was obviously better because the survival rate was significantly higher when compared to those previously reported for this seahorse species. In short, the present observational study presented a simple culture technique that can produce optimum growth and survival through to adult stage of seahorse H. abdominalis. Hence, the present finding is important for conservation of seahorse H. abdominals in the future. Keywords: Seahorse; Hippocampus abdominalis; Closure of life cycle; Conservation

Using cumulative human-impact models to reveal global threat patterns for seahorses.

Understanding threats acting on marine organisms and their conservation status is vital but challenging given a paucity of data. We studied the cumulative human impact (CHI) on and conservation status of seahorses (Hippocampus spp.)-a genus of rare and data-poor marine fishes. With expert knowledge and relevant spatial data sets, we built linear-additive models to assess and map the CHI of 12 anthropogenic stressors on 42 seahorse species. We examined the utility of indices of estimated impact (impact of each stressor and CHI) in predicting conservation status for species with random forest (RF) models. The CHI values for threatened species were significantly higher than those for nonthreatened species (category based on International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List). We derived high-accuracy RF models (87% and 96%) that predicted that 5 of the 17 data-deficient species were threatened. Demersal fishing practices with high bycatch and pollution were the best predictors of threat category. Major threat epicenters were in China, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Our results and maps of CHI may help guide global seahorse conservation and indicate that modeling and mapping human impacts can reveal threat patterns and conservation status for data-poor species. We found that for exploring threat patterns of focal species, species-level CHI models are better than existing ecosystem-level CHI models.

Molecular marker based on 16S rRNA gene for seahorse (Hippocampus spp.) from Bintan Island-Indonesia

Seahorse is known as the organism with different reproduction mechanism from other organisms showing male pregnancy. Phenomenon of cryptic species and complex species often lead to morphologically misidentification. DNA barcoding is commonly used as a tool for molecular identification. From 33 types of seahorses in Indonesia, 7 of them were found in Bintan waters. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify the species of seahorse by molecular marker based on 16S rRNA gene and determine the genetic relationship of seahorse from Bintan Island,Indonesia. The specimens were collected from Berakit,Bintan. DNA was extracted, then amplification of 16S rRNA gene fragment was carried out. The results showed that the sequence of amplified DNA of seahorse were Hippocampus comes has a high degree of kinship with H. comes originating from Taiwan.