The smallest seahorse species on the planet, brightly colored pygmy seahorses, can be really, really hard to find. They primarily live on specific soft corals that camouflage their small bodies with similar colors and textures.
In this Descending 4K video, filmed in The Coral Triangle of Lembeh Strait, Indonesia, scuba divers Scott and Ellis try to spot the minuscule creatures anchoring to the coral with their prehensile tails.
“The only defense this tiny little guy has in the whole world is his camouflage, and it is good camouflage. If it leaves this piece of coral, it doesn’t blend in with anything else around here.”
Oceana shares more about this fingernail-size fish:
“Pygmy seahorses grow to an average size of 0.55 to 1.06 inches (1.4 to 2.7 cm).2 Bargibantβs pygmy seahorse grows to a maximum length of 0.94 inches (2.4 cm) and has rounded tubercles on its body that matches the color and shape of its host gorgonian coral. This species is usually one of two colors: purple with pink tubercles or yellow with orange tubercles, depending on the host gorgonianβs color. A single gorgonian can be home to up to 28 pairs of Bargibantβs pygmy seahorses.”
Next, watch Pygmy Seahorses: Masters of vibrantly-colored coral camouflage.
Plus, discover more syngnathidae videos, including the camouflaged Robust Ghost Pipefish.
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