Half Spined Seahorse

Trunk rings 11; tail rings 35-36; subdorsal spines 3/0,1,0-0.5, usually enlarged on 11th trunk ring; nose ridge with straight profile and no spine; spine above eye small, length less than eye diameter, angled back; lateral head spine large, about twice in size of eye-spine and recurving; small spine behind eye, placed high above eye center; coronet well developed, with 5-7 diverging blunt spines with rugose tips, posterior spines enlarged and recurving; upper shoulder-ring spine long, situated at gill opening; lower shoulder-ring spine moderately large, with a poorly developed second spine anteriorly; superior trunk and tail ridges with rugose tubercles, enlarged on 1st and 7th rings as broad spines; superior tail ridge with spines of moderate length from 2nd to about 15th ring, somewhat enlarged on 5th and 8th ring, becoming gradually shorter posteriorly; lateral line with pores intermittently on trunk rings just above inferior ridge, extending onto tail to 17th-18th ring (Ref. 42735). Males dull yellowish brown with a series of distinctive white blotches on the trunk; females yellow or cream to reddish brown with broad saddle like banding behind the head and near dorsal fin (Ref. 48635).

Male carries the eggs in a brood pouch (Ref. 205).

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 18; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 4

Found on shallow coastal habitats, from near mangroves to deeper muddy channels, or deep offshore where known from trawls (Ref. 48635). Often with algae growth on the spiny ridges (Ref. 48635). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205). The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail (Ref. 205).