Korean seahorse (Hippocampus haema)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from FishBase, occurrence map from GBIF, conservation from IUCN Red List, description from Wikipedia.
Last updated
Bae Jiwon (뽀그르) · via Wikipedia: Hippocampus haema · CC BY-SA 4.0
Hippocampus haema, the Korean seahorse, is a seahorse of the family Syngnathidae native to the northern Pacific Ocean (Korea Strait, Sea of Japan, northeastern coast of Honshu), and it usually lives in Sargassum and weeds on shallow soft bottom habitats from 0 to 18 m depth. The Korean seahorse is the most common seahorse in Korean waters so that the scientific name 'haema' is named from 'seahorse' in Korean.
The Japanese name 'Himetatsu' is derived from its smaller shape such as body and coronet rather than the shape of a sister species, crowned seahorse (Hippocampus coronatus). This species had been repeatedly misidentified as crowned seahorse and Shiho's seahorse before a taxonomic review. However, the two genuine species do not live in Korean waters, therefore this species was handled by naming a new scientific name, Hippocampus haema.
Source: Wikipedia: Hippocampus haema — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocampus_haema (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- ClassActinopterygii
- DivisionTeleostei
- OrderSyngnathiformes
- FamilySyngnathidae
- GenusHippocampus
- SpeciesHippocampus haema
Named by Han, Kim, Kai & Senou, 2017
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
- Hippocampus zosterae
- Hippocampus trimaculatus
- Hippocampus camelopardalis
- Hippocampus kelloggi
- Hippocampus spinosissimus
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Hippocampus haema (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 1376208 (CC BY 4.0)
Conservation status
Vulnerable (VU)
- LC
- NT
- VU▲ this species
- EN
- CR
- EW
- EX
Source: IUCN Red List assessment · GBIF copy of the Red List category
How big is it?
Largest length in the source, 0.11 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 korean seahorse (hippocampus haema) has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (33 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 8 inland records left out (institution coordinates).
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Syngnathiformes · Family: Syngnathidae · Genus: Hippocampus.
Accepted name: Hippocampus haema · Authority: Han, Kim, Kai & Senou, 2017 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 1376208.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1376208 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Biology and life history (FishBase)
Measured values published by FishBase for Hippocampus haema. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 11.390000343322754 cm · Depth range: 0–18 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: other · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.
FishBase notes: Lives in floating Sargassum and weeds on shallow soft bottom habitats (Ref. 117115).
Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 68696) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Hippocampus-haema.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
33 georeferenced occurrence records for Hippocampus haema are published through GBIF from 2 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 8 distinct locations from a sample of 33 records, omitting 8 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: Korea, Republic of (28); Japan (5).
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 9573174) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=9573174&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1376208 (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 haema Han, Kim, Kai & Senou, 2017 as Vulnerable (code VU). 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 250584055) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/250584055/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 9573174) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/9573174/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 haema (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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