Pygmy Seahorses are one of the most sought after finds for divers and underwater photographers. Just like their larger seahorse cousins, they are masters of disguise and easily adapt to match their surroundings. Some grow filaments to blend in with algae, others have nodules that match the corals they live on. However, they also have one feature that makes them more challenging for divers to find - their extremely small size. Pygmy seahorses rarely get over an inch, and some species are just over a half an inch.
There are a few places wher they can be found regularly, and some dive guides specialize in finding them. In fact, H. pontohi‘s name comes from a guide named Hence Pontoh, and was H. satomiae named after Satomi Onishi, the dive guide that collected them for the scientists who described the species.
Popular dive sites for pygmy seahorses:
Bunaken National Marine Park
Please remember - Look, Don’t Touch!
Pygmy seahorses are by their nature very shy, and divers can easily unwittingly disturb them. If you find a pygmy seahorse, don’t touch it or the coral it is perched on. Don’t use bright lights or flashes. And be aware of your surroundings so you don’t damage any neighboring corals other seahorses might be using.
