Journal of the
Ocean Science Foundation

An open-access free online peer-reviewed Marine Biology Journal, since 2008.

published by the Ocean Science Foundation

 
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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Hippocampus tristis, a Lazarus species of seahorse (Teleostei: Syngnathidae) from Australia

Rudie H. Kuiter

Abstract

Hippocampus tristis Castelnau, 1872 was described from a single specimen that came from the Melbourne Fish Market in Australia. Following Kuiter's (2001) revision of Australian seahorses, two additional specimens of H. tristis were found in the South Australian Museum, housed under the name 'Hippocampus novae-hollandiae'. Despite extensive diving in the southern region for several decades whilst looking out for this taxon, none have been found and Kuiter (2009) presumed it was extinct. However, a photograph of a seahorse taken in December, 2018 at St Leonards Pier, just north from Swan Bay in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, Australia is, based on visible diagnostic characters, without a doubt the long-lost H. tristis.

     

CITATION:

Kuiter, R.H. (2020) Hippocampus tristis, a Lazarus species of seahorse (Teleostei: Syngnathidae) from Australia. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation, 35, 41-47.

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3907005

publication date: 24 June 2020