DetailsHabitat: The Southern Pot-belly Seahorse is usually found in mixed reefs, seagrasses and sponge beds in sheltered coves. The are in shallow parts of these tropical waters, since the water is warmer. Seahorses like to live in places that have still waters or a low current, since they are not good swimmers. Since seahorses do not swim well, they prefer areas that give them an easy access to grasp on to a rock or grass with their prehensile tails in order to rest. These habitats are ideal because it provides seahorses with shelter and areas where they can camouflage easily with their environment. Seahorses usually feed on brine shrimp, very small fish, zooplankton or plankton. Therefore these organisms are necessary in order for the seahorse to survive.
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Structural and Behavioural Adaptaion |
Curling 'pre-hensile' tail: assist in clasping seagrasses and other suitable objects.
Elongated snouts: to suck up plankton and small crustaceans. No teeth or stomach: adapted as there is high biodiversity for the seahorse to constantly graze on. Male carries unborn young: allows female to impregnate several males in one season and therefore increasing population rapidly. |
Why the Organism is Well Suited For the Environment |
The environment provides all of the necessities for the organisms survival.
Low flow water: desirable as seahorses have low stamina and swimming abilities. Rock formations: protect the organisms from prey and allow them to camouflage. Coral/seagrass: allows them to clasp on. Variety of prey: important for the seagrasses to graze on. |