The post One Seahorse Species Was Actually 3 — Nobody Noticed for a Century appeared first on A-Z Animals.
For more than 100 years, a case of mistaken identity prevented a spiky little seahorse in the Indian Ocean from being recognized as a distinct species. Although it was frequently observed and studied by scientists, no one realized it was unique.
This changed when a group of researchers examined marine life accidentally caught during commercial fishing operations in southern India. By closely inspecting the spines and snouts of the tiny seahorses found in the nets, they noticed differences. DNA testing confirmed their suspicions.
In Tuticorin harbor in southern India, fishing boats regularly bring in large amounts of bycatch—marine life unintentionally caught in nets along with the targeted fish. This occurs almost daily due to a fishing method known as "bottom trawling."
Seahorses and other marine life are often swept up in commercial trawling operations.
©Project Seahorse – Original / License
For researchers, examining bycatch provides an opportunity to conduct marine research. Teams routinely analyze the bycatch to search for potential new species and make other discoveries.
During a routine bycatch examination, one international research team came across a tiny seahorse that looked quite similar to a well-known species called Hippocampus histrix – the thorny seahorse. It was a seahorse many researchers had observed in the past, including seahorse expert Dr. Amanda Vincent. Vincent is the co-founder of Project Seahorse, a conservation initiative at the University of British Columbia.
Vincent and others never realized they were actually observing a brand new species. It wasn't until another international research team took a closer look that the discovery was made. Their findings were revealed in a new study published in the journal Zootaxa.
Researchers carefully examined the seahorse's body shape, focusing on its snouts and spines. They found that the new species had a shorter snout than the thorny seahorse and distinctive spines. Five spines formed a crown on its head, with additional spines running down its body and tail. The seahorse measures about 6.3 inches in length.
DNA testing confirmed that a new species had been overlooked for decades. The research team took existing genetic material from seahorses across the region and compared it to the DNA from the spiky seahorse. The results showed that the spiky seahorse was a distinctive species. The tests also revealed that the thorny seahorse, H. histrix, was actually three unique species – H. histrix, H. jayakari, and H. amandavincentae.
The third of the newly discovered species was named after Dr. Vincent in honor of her research and work on seahorse conservation. She has earned a number of "firsts," including:
First to document the scope of the seahorse trade
First to start a dedicated seahorse conservation project
First marine conservationist to win the Indianapolis Prize, a top global conservation award
