Pygmy Thorny Seahorse

This pygmy spiny seahorse is distinguished by the following characters: dorsal fin rays 15; pectoral fin rays 12-13; trunk rings 13; tail rings 34; subdorsal spines 3/0,1,0; moderately large nose spine, its height about equal to or slightly smaller than pupil; above the eyes, the double spine is moderately long, longer than pupil diameter; lateral head spine double and large; raised coronet with 6 groups of 1-6 spines each; restricted gill openings, not reaching to neck ridge; shoulder rings confluent over the neck ridge forming a continuous collar; upper shoulder ring spine opposite 9th-11th pectoral fin rays; snout length is approximately 45-47% of head length (Ref. 75989).

Male carries the eggs in a brood pouch (Ref. 205).

Dorsal soft rays (total): 15; Analsoft rays: 12 - 13

Hippocampus pusillus, the pygmy thorny seahorse, is only known from specimens that were dredged at depths between 35 and 228m off the coast of New Caledonia.