Walea Pygmy Seahorse

This species is distinguished by the following characters: size extremely small (height 1.68 cm, 1.78 cm SL); trunks rings 12; tail elongate, 32 tail rings; D 12; pectoral fin rays 9; no anal fin (at least in one sex); apparently eggs brooded within trunk; medium length snout which lacks a bulbous tip; coronet raised and angular; fused gill openings on midline behind the coronet supported by raised cleithral girdle; enlarged knob-like structures on head and trunk; paired laterally directed knob-like structures and each with short fleshy filament on superior trunk ridge of the fifth trunk ring; last 28 tail rings each with small paired knobs on inferior tail ridge, fifth, ninth and twelfth tail rings with bilaterally paired enlarged knob-like structures on superior tail ridges. Colouration: pale pinkish to yellowish with red to brown blotches, radiating bands from eye; body protuberances are white, appearing as white spots (Ref. 80667).

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

Dorsal soft rays (total): 12

Only found in association with the soft coral Nephtea, but has also been observed swimming lengthy distances from one coral to the next (Ref. 80667).

Found in association with the soft coral Nephtea, but has also been observed swimming lengthy distances from one coral to the next (Ref 90102).

Hippocampus waleananus, the Walea soft coral pygmy seahorse, was regarded as a synonym of Hippocampus satomiae, Lourie & Kuiter, 2008, however, some taxonomists suggested this name should be valid. The species was described in 2009 from a single specimen which was found close to the island Walea. This species is endemic to the Togian Islands in Indonesia, and is associated with specific soft corals.