SEA HORSES

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SEA HORSES
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What We Are Looking At

• We are going to be looking at most of the
  seahorses adaptations.
• Adaptations are special structures an organism
  has to better help its survival in a certain
  environment, and to increase the chances of it
  reproducing and keeping the species going.
• Examples of adaptations are things like the fins
  on a dolphin, the tail on a monkey, and the claws
  on a tiger.
• An animal can have more than one adaptation and
  individuals in a species may have a slight
  variation in their adaptations in comparison to
  another individual in the same species.

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Introduction
In the past seahorses have been regarded to as
mythical creatures who traveled the seas along
side mermaids. Through studies it has been proven
that they do indeed exist. Because of their odd
shape they have been credited to have strong
magical and medical qualities. Seahorses are
found in temperate and tropical waters all around
the world. They are said to be very majestic and
graceful because of the way they swim and their
upright form.These amazing creatures have many
adaptations, but here are just a few
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Seahorse Eyes

• Like all fish, seahorse eyes move independently.
• Scientist believe that, because of the position
  of the eyes, a seahorses can have binocular
  vision.
• Binocular vision would allow them to capture
  their food much easier.

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Armour

• Seahorses are not very flexible. This is because
  they have hard bony external plates which protect
  the seahorses body.
• The plates are arranged into a series of rings.

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Camouflage

• Seahorses are excellent at camouflaging
  themselves.
• This behavior makes them very difficult too be
  seen in their natural habitats.
• Other than changing color some even have
  encrusting organisms growing on them to better
  camouflage themselves.
• Seahorses turns colors mainly because of 3
  different reasons what their habitat looks like,
  what they have eaten, and what stage of the
  courtship they are in.

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Prehensile Tail

• Seahorses use their prehensile tail to stabilize
  themselves by holding onto things such as seaweed
  and grasses.
• Prehensile means adapted to gripping, especially
  by wrapping around objects.
• This makes it easier for them to eat or keep very
  still when predators are near.
• Seahorses cant swim very fast but their tail
  helps them hover very precisely over things.

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Size

• A seahorses size is a very important adaptation.
  
• It mostly helps them to hide from predators which
  are mainly humans and crabs.
• Seahorses measures in length from between 1 inch
  and 14 inches.
• If a seahorses is any bigger than 14 inches than
  it is considered to be a giant seahorse.

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Feeding

• Seahorses eat mostly plankton and brine shrimp.
• They capture their food by a snatch-sucking
  motion through the snout.
• Seahorses are stubborn when it comes to catching
  food. If their food tries to escape they will
  change from their gentle selves to fast chasing
  machines and they wont stop chasing their prey
  till they catch it.

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Reproduction

• Seahorse reproduction is opposite to what we call
  normal. The males are the ones that have the
  babies.
• The seahorse is pregnant for about 3 weeks then
  usually gives birth to about 100 babies.
• Once the male seahorses gives birth in a matter
  of days he becomes pregnant again.
• The babies grow in a pouch on the male and left
  to fend for themselves when they are born
• Seahorses have a lot of babies at once to ensure
  the survival of their race.

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Bibliography

• Fish In Focus.Australian Museum Fish
  Online.1998-2001. Online.
• http//www.amonline.net.au/fishes/student
  s/focus/hippocampus.htm.
• Seahorse.org Photo Gallery.Seahorse.org.2003.
  Online.www.seahorse.
• org.
• Verhasselt, Ruediger(Dr.). Seahorses. Docslaw
  Seaworld.1997-2003.
• Online. http//www.seahorses.de/seahorses.htm.
• Wildlife Fact File, Sea Horses,1991.