Organized in the class Actinopterygii, seahorses, Hippocampus spp., are marine organisms found in bodies of water that range from tropical to temperate zones around the Earth. As cited by Foster in Life History and Ecology of Seahorses, research by RA Fritschze suggests that the genus Hippocampus diverged at least 20 million years ago from its ancestral origins. Research relating to organisms organized under the genus Hippocampus is contradictory as to the number of species it contains, although a general figure places the number at around fifty species discovered (source website). These strange-looking organisms reside at depths of less than 30 meters and can be found in habitats containing seagrass beds and coral reefs (Foster 10). Hippocampus spp. are all predatory organisms, their main food sources are small crustaceans and fish, as well as other organisms small enough to eat (lourie 10). Although Hippocampus spp. are predatory, their restricted size and mobility capabilities expose them to the risk of becoming prey to other carnivorous organisms. Although Hippocampus spp. are placed in the same class as other organisms more traditionally considered fish, their morphology exhibits distinct differences from other bony fishes. The different species belonging to the genus Hippocampus have a maximum size of 20 mm to 300 mm (Foster 8). Their physical appearance is distinct from other members of its class due to their "horse-shaped head, monkey-shaped tail, and kangaroo-shaped pouch". ( Lourie et al 12) Morphologically, seahorses do not have scales like traditional fish, but instead have bony plates covered by skin. The appearance of bone and skin extrusions...... middle of paper ...... up to 300 individuals, newborn seahorses are independent of parental care and the male is free to fertilize and d 'accept more eggs (Lourie 11). Offspring roles displayed by Hippocampus spp. This is an extreme change from many other species in the kingdom Animalia, where parturition is predominantly carried out by females. According to Foster, growth rates throughout the life cycle and life cycle length of seahorses in the wild vary among species and cannot be determined due to insufficient research data (Foster 22). Once sexual maturity is reached, often determined by the presence of a brood pouch in males, adults are capable of reproduction. During reproduction, the overwhelming majority of Hippocampus species exhibit monogamous behaviors, generally mating with the same partner for the duration of the mating cycle (lourie 10-11).