Seahorse

Illustration of seahorse wrapping tail around black branch surrounded by four small white bubbles on a blue background.

The underwater world is filled with a unique type of fish that swims upright and uses its tail as an anchor, known as the seahorse. Its scientific name derives from the Greek word for a horse; Hippocampus, translating in English to Horse Caterpillar. There are fifty-four known species of the seahorse maneuvering throughout our oceans. Six of those are native to the U.S., and territories. Forty-one of those species are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of threatened species. Because of their popularity, scientists continue to bring awareness of these little creatures, aiming to reduce their endangerment from over fishing to help keep our coastal eco-systems in balance.