Denise's Pygmy Seahorse
Hippocampus denise
Sighting evidence at Hidden Garden, Efate
Photo: Poul Erik Rasmussen · © all rights reserved
Denise's pygmy seahorse — barely 2 centimeters long — lives exclusively within the polyps of gorgonian fan corals, and Hidden Garden's healthy fan coral population hosts multiple known individuals that local guides have been tracking for years. Their orange-and-yellow coloration so perfectly matches their host coral that finding them requires both a skilled guide and a magnifying glass. These tiny animals are permanent residents of their individual fan corals, making repeated visits to the same fans a reliable encounter strategy.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Denise's Pygmy Seahorse is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.