First revision of the current status of seahorses (Syngnathidae) and their distribution throughout the Macaronesia (NE Atlantic)

Abstract

First revision of the current status of seahorses and their distribution in the Macaronesian archipelagos, based on general reports on fish community assemblages, specific assessments and overall data obtained from preserved specimens held in various museums and universities collections along the Macaronesia region. These reports have confirmed the presence of one main species throughout the region, the European short-snouted seahorse Hippocampus hippocampus. Occasionally, two other species were also recorded, with one specimen of H. erectus caught in the Azores in 2004, and two individuals of H. algiricus observed in the Canary Islands in 2009-2010.