Join date : 1970-01-01
| Subject: A Seahorse of a Different Colour Sun Feb 24, 2013 6:17 pm | |
| [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]The male seahorse is equipped with a brood pouch on the ventral, or front-facing, side of the tail. When mating, the female seahorse deposits up to 1,500 eggs in the male's pouch. The male carries the eggs for 9 to 45 days until the seahorses emerge fully developed, but very small. Once the seahorses are released into the water, the male's role is done and he offers no further care and often mates again within hours or days during the breeding season. Courtship Before breeding, seahorses may court for several days. Scientists believe the courtship behavior synchronizes the animals' movements as well as reproductive state so that the male can receive the eggs when the female is ready to deposit them. During this time they may change color, swim side by side holding tails or grip the same strand of sea grass with their tails and wheel around in unison in what is known as a “pre-dawn dance". They eventually engage in a “true courtship dance" lasting about 8 hours, during which the male pumps water through the egg pouch on his trunk which expands and opens to display its emptiness. When the female’s eggs reach maturity, she and her mate let go of any anchors and snout-to-snout, drift upward out of the seagrass, often spiraling as they rise. The female inserts her ovipositor into the male’s brood pouch and deposits dozens to thousands of eggs. As the female releases her eggs, her body slims while his swells. Both animals then sink back into the seagrass and she swims away. | |
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Lou
Location : Home Join date : 2011-07-05 Posts : 45066 Age : 53
| Subject: Re: A Seahorse of a Different Colour Sun Feb 24, 2013 6:20 pm | |
| wow that is beautiful ...one for Nigel's list Helen ? | |
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Gaga
Location : Glitter Way! Join date : 2012-02-18 Posts : 22983 Age : 27
| Subject: Re: A Seahorse of a Different Colour Sun Feb 24, 2013 6:37 pm | |
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Join date : 1970-01-01
| Subject: Re: A Seahorse of a Different Colour Sun Feb 24, 2013 6:48 pm | |
| We think it may have been enhanced a little - seahorses are true chameleons and can change their colour to blend in with their background x | |
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emdools
Location : Lancashire/Manchester Join date : 2012-06-08 Posts : 1024 Age : 40
| Subject: Re: A Seahorse of a Different Colour Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:32 pm | |
| So pretty.
I read the article on your website from Practical Fishkeeping. I found it really interesting. I didn't realise how many tanks you had etc! | |
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Lou
Location : Home Join date : 2011-07-05 Posts : 45066 Age : 53
| Subject: Re: A Seahorse of a Different Colour Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:33 pm | |
| Aww I see it is very beautiful though x | |
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Join date : 1970-01-01
| Subject: Re: A Seahorse of a Different Colour Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:37 pm | |
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dovaston Admin
Location : The Sadist's Special Pet Cage Join date : 2011-07-06 Posts : 22853 Age : 67
| Subject: Re: A Seahorse of a Different Colour Sun Feb 24, 2013 10:40 pm | |
| Oh my...this is beautiful....I want one!!!! | |
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zombiewoman
Location : Illinois, USA Join date : 2012-04-12 Posts : 2435 Age : 53
| Subject: Re: A Seahorse of a Different Colour Mon Feb 25, 2013 11:47 am | |
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| Subject: Re: A Seahorse of a Different Colour | |
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