{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "seahorse",
  "name": "Seahorse",
  "scientificName": "Hippocampus",
  "category": "Fish",
  "summary": "The seahorse is a small marine fish with a horse-like head, an upright posture, and a curling, prehensile tail that grips seagrass and coral. It is one of the only animals in which the male becomes pregnant, carrying the eggs in a pouch until they hatch. Seahorses are weak swimmers that feed by ambush, and many of the roughly 46 species are threatened.",
  "conservationStatus": "Vulnerable",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Actinopterygii",
    "order": "Syngnathiformes",
    "family": "Syngnathidae",
    "genus": "Hippocampus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.01,
    "lengthM": 0.2,
    "topSpeedKmh": 1.5,
    "lifespanYears": 4
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Hippocampus (genus)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore (tiny crustaceans)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Seagrass beds, reefs, and estuaries"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "1–5 years depending on species"
    },
    {
      "label": "Length",
      "value": "1.5–35 cm (0.6–14 in)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Among the slowest fish"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Vulnerable (many species)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Shallow seagrass beds, reefs, and estuaries in tropical and temperate seas worldwide.",
    "continents": [
      "Oceans"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Hippocampus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Hippocampus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Seahorse.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seahorse"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/seahorse/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/seahorse/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}