The lined seahorse varies in color from pale yellow to nearly black, depending on its surroundings. It also has dark lines on the head, neck and back. (brian.gratwicke/Flickr)
The lined seahorse is a unique fish with a curled tail and horse-like head. It lives among bay grasses in the shallow waters of the middle and lower Chesapeake Bay.
Appearance:
Rings of bony plates covering the body
Varies in color from pale yellow to nearly black, depending on its surroundings
Dark lines on the head, neck and back
Horse-like head that is held perpendicular to the body
Tapered, grasping tail without a fin at the tip
Long snout with a small, toothless mouth at the end
Grows 5-6 inches long
Habitat:
Lives among bay grass beds in shallow waters in summer
Can also be found clinging to crab pots, pilings or ropes
Retreats to deeper waters in winter
Range:
Lives year-round in the middle and lower Chesapeake Bay, extending as far north as Calvert County, Maryland
Feeding:
Eats mostly tiny crustaceans
Ambushes its prey by changing colors to match its surroundings and wrapping its tail around an object to stay very still. It then sucks its prey into its long, tubular snout.
Predators:
Believed to have few predators due to its ability to camouflage itself within grass beds
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
Males and females are monogamous, meaning they stay with the same mate for life. They go through an elaborate courtship ritual.
The female lays her eggs into the male’s brood pouch, where they are fertilized
The male incubates the eggs for approximately two weeks before they hatch. He then releases a cloud of 100-300 tiny, fully-formed seahorses from his pouch into the water.
Juveniles are less than one-quarter of an inch long. They quickly take on the habits of adult.
Other Facts:
The only seahorse that lives in the Chesapeake Bay
Poor swimmers that rely on their camouflage ability to hide from predators and conceal themselves from prey. They blend in so well that it is often difficult for scientists to find them for studies.
Closely related to pipefish
Sources and Additional Information:
Fishes of Chesapeake Bay by Edward O. Murdy, Ray S. Birdsong and John A. Musick
