Even among the many strange creatures of the ocean, the Sea Horse is one of nature's more unusual fish. It has a head shaped like a tiny horse, a body covered in rigid, bony plates and a snake-like tail that is used to grasp seaweed and coral. The Sea Horse might also be mistaken for a small dragon from a child's fairy tale.
Sea Horses are commonly seen on coral reefs in the warm coastal waters of Florida, where they eat plankton and the eggs of other fish.
They range in size from 6 to 12 inches, swim upright with the aid of a single dorsal fin and come in a wide variety of colors.
The female Sea Horse places her eggs in the male's kangaroo-like chest pouch, where they are fertilized and are born after a gestation period of 4-6 week.
These wondrous tiny creatures live for about four years.
2009
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