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Phylum Chordata > Subphylum Vertebrata > fishes > Family Syngnathidae > Genus Hippocampus
Tiger-tailed seahorse
Hippocampus comes
Family Syngnathidae
updated Oct 2020

Where seen? This large seahorse with a black-and-yellow banded tail is often seen on our Southern shores, with one seen at Changi in 2019. According to the Singapore Red Data Book, the Tiger-tailed seahorse is usually found in coral reefs, in Singapore, mainly around the Southern Islands.

Features: 6-10cm long. Body without large, obvious spines. Colours seen include black, brown or yellowish with speckles. The tail is banded black and yellow. There are little white dots around the eye and on the cheeks.

It's difficult to tell this seahorse apart from the Estuarine seahorse (Hippocampus kuda). More on how to tell apart the Tiger-tail and Estuarine seahorses.

Tanah Merah, Dec 10

Tail is banded black and yellow.
Sisters Island, May 13

Labrador, Jun 05

Little white dots around the eyes
and on the cheeks.

Labrador, Jun 05



Well camouflaged.
Terumbu Bemban, Mar 13
Pregnant fathers: Seahorses reproduce in a peculiar way. It is male that carries the eggs in his body and thus becomes 'pregnant'. The female lays her eggs in his pouch. Emerging from the eggs, the babies hatch as miniature seahorses and may remain in the pouch for a while before the father goes into 'labour' and ejects them out of the pouch.

Often seen in a pair.
Sisters Island, Aug 12

Pregnant papa.
Pulau Hantu, Aug 15

Very pregnant papa.
Sisters Island, Mar 12
Status and threats: Seahorses are listed as CITES II (which means their international trade is monitored) and are considered globally vulnerable. Hippocampus comes is listed among the threatened animals of Singapore.

*Species are difficult to positively identify without close examination of small features.
On this website, they are grouped by general large external features for convenience of display.

Tiger-tailed seahorses on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr

Other sightings on Singapore shores


Changi, Aug 19
Photo shared by Jianlin Liu on facebook.

St John's Island, Jul 17
Photo shared by Able Yeo on facebook.


Berlayar Creek, Apr 23
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.

Sisters Island, Sep 13
Photo shared by Marcus Ng on flickr.


Pulau Jong, Jun 16
Photo shared by Marcus Ng on flickr.

Pulau Hantu, Jan 11
Photo shared by Rene Ong on facebook.


Pulau Semakau, Mar 08
Photo shared by Toh Chay Hoon on flickr.

Pulau Semakau, Feb 09
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

Pulau Semakau East, Jul 18
Photo shared by Jose Hong on facebook.


Terumbu Semakau, Jun 10
Photo shared by James Koh on his blog.

Terumbu Semakau, Jun 10
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

Terumbu Semakau, May 13
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on flickr.


Terumbu Semakau, Apr 21
Photo shared by Marcus Ng on facebook.


Terumbu Semakau, May 19
Photo shared by Kelvin Yong on facebook.

Terumbu Semakau, May 18
Photo shared by Richard Kuah on facebook.

Beting Bemban Besar, May 11

Photo shared by Russel Low on facebook.

Beting Bemban Besar, May 22
Photo shared by Che Cheng Neo w on facebook.


Terumbu Bemban, Apr 22
Photo shared by Marcus Ng on facebook.

Terumbu Bemban, May 21
Photo shared by James Koh on flickr.


Terumbu Raya, Jun 15
Photo shared by Toh Chay Hoon on facebook.

Terumbu Raya, Jun 15
Photo shared by Toh Chay Hoon on facebook.


Terumbu Pempang Tengah, Apr 12
Photo shared by Neo Mei Lin on her blog.

Terumbu Raya, Nov 11
Photo shared by Marcus Ng on flickr.


Terumbu Semakau, Jun 12
Photo shared by Marcus Ng on facebook.

Terumbu Bemban, Jun 10
Photo shared by Toh Chay Hoom on her blog.

Terumbu Pempang Laut, May 12
Photo shared by James Koh on his blog.

 

Links

References

  • Davison, G.W. H. and P. K. L. Ng and Ho Hua Chew, 2008. The Singapore Red Data Book: Threatened plants and animals of Singapore. Nature Society (Singapore). 285 pp.
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