Coleman's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus colemani)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from FishBase, occurrence map from GBIF, conservation from IUCN Red List.
Last updated
q phia · via Wikipedia: Hippocampus colemani · CC BY 2.0
Coleman's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus colemani) is a marine species in the family Syngnathidae (Chordata › Teleostei › Syngnathiformes), recorded in the World Register of Marine Species as Hippocampus colemani Kuiter, 2003 under AphiaID 275190.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- ClassActinopterygii
- DivisionTeleostei
- OrderSyngnathiformes
- FamilySyngnathidae
- GenusHippocampus
- SpeciesHippocampus colemani
Named by Kuiter, 2003
Close relatives
Other species of Hippocampus with a Codexery entry.
- Barbour's seahorse Hippocampus barbouri
- Big-belly seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis
- Denise's pygmy seahorse Hippocampus denise
- Dwarf seahorse Hippocampus zosterae
- Hippocampus trimaculatus
- Hippocampus camelopardalis
- Hippocampus kelloggi
- Hippocampus spinosissimus
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Hippocampus colemani (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 275190 (CC BY 4.0)
Conservation status
Data Deficient (DD)
Data Deficient: there is not enough information to place this species on the risk scale.
Source: IUCN Red List assessment · GBIF copy of the Red List category
How big is it?
Largest length in the source, 0.03 m, next to a 1.8 m person.
Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: FishBase species summary
Where the coleman's pygmy seahorse (hippocampus colemani) has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (21 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 2 inland records left out (institution coordinates).
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain)
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Syngnathiformes · Family: Syngnathidae · Genus: Hippocampus.
Accepted name: Hippocampus colemani · Authority: Kuiter, 2003 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 275190.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=275190 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Biology and life history (FishBase)
Measured values published by FishBase for Hippocampus colemani. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 2.6500000953674316 cm · Depth range: 3–12 m · Habitat zone: demersal · Body shape: other · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.
FishBase notes: Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205). The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail (Ref. 205). Found in sand bottoms with sparse Zostera and Halophilia in 4-12 m (Ref 90102). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128812.
Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 61638) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Hippocampus-colemani.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
21 georeferenced occurrence records for Hippocampus colemani are published through GBIF from 5 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 8 distinct locations from a sample of 21 records, omitting 2 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: Australia (9); Chinese Taipei (6); Northern Mariana Islands (4); Fiji (1); Papua New Guinea (1).
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 5201055) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=5201055&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=275190 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Conservation status (IUCN Red List)
The IUCN Red List assesses Hippocampus colemani Kuiter, 2003 as Data Deficient (code DD). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.
Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 47728602) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/47728602/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 5201055) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/5201055/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Hippocampus colemani (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; order, family and genus checked against WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List assessment.
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Biology values: FishBase species summary (CC BY-NC 3.0, non-commercial).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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