Teleostei (teleosts) >
Syngnathiformes (Pipefishes and seahorses) >
Syngnathidae (Pipefishes and seahorses) > Syngnathinae
Etymology: Hippocampus: Greek, ippos = horse + Greek,kampe = curvature (Ref. 45335); sindonis: Named for M. Sindo, an assistant curator of fishes at Stanford University (Ref. 117115).
Eponymy: Michitaro Sindo, originally from Yamaguchi, Japan, was one of Jordan’s students at Stanford University, and became Assistant Curator of fishes there. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on authors: Jordan & Snyder.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; non-migratory; depth range 0 - 75 m (Ref. 128812). Subtropical
Northwest Pacific: southern Japan.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 4.0  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 10.8 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 117115)
This species is distinguished in having the following characters: bony body; double gill openings; R 10 + 35-38 (holotype: 10 + 37); coronet moderately high; CoT 5; CHGO 26.8-41.0 % HL; CHMC 36.3-55.4 % HL; a very blunt or truncated spine on the dorsal fin base; absence of the wing-tip spine on dorsal fin base (Ref. 117115).
Body shape (shape guide): other; Cross section: angular.
Reported to live in a wide range of habitats, from shallow high-energy algae reefs to soft bottom habitats (Ref. 117115). Length type refers to height (= TL - head length). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205). The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail (Ref. 205).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Male carries the eggs in a brood pouch (Ref. 205).
Lourie, S.A., R.A. Pollom and S.J. Foster, 2016. A global revision of the seahorses Hippocampus Rafinesque 1810 (Actinopterygii: Syngnathiformes): taxonomy and biogeography with recommendations for further research. Zootaxa 4146(1):1-66. (Ref. 115213)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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