LIFE-HISTORY ASPECTS OF SEAHORSES, HIPPOCAMPUS, IN TEXAS

Dwarf seahorses (Hippocampus zosterae) and lined seahorses (H. erectus) occur in Texas, but little quantitative information concerning the life history and status of these species exists. Seahorse stocks in Texas during the 1980s appeared small, relatively stable, and restricted to the bays and adjacent Gulf of Mexico on the central and southern coast. Lined seahorses were more abundant than dwarf seahorses. Most (99 of 143) lined seahorses were caught in the gulf, but most (25 of 31) dwarf seahorses were caught in the bays. Within each bay, lined seahorses were almost completely restricted to water deeper than one meter. Dwarf seahorses occurred both near shore and in water deeper than one meter. Most lined seahorses (70 percent) were caught in summer and autumn (May-October), whereas most dwarf seahorses (70 percent) were caught in autumn or winter (October-January). Lined seahorses were about twice as large as dwarf seahorses (87 millimeters mean total length as compared to 40 millimeters). Lined seahorse growth was described by the relationship Y = 21.4 + 0.107A where Y = TL and A = age in days (r2 = 0.65; P < 0.01).