Behavioral traits of captive short-snouted seahorse Hippocampus hippocampus, Linnaeus 1758

Studies of behavioral traits of threatened marine species are fundamental in order to plan correct conservation strategies. This information becomes crucial to seahorses conservation, given the poor swimming skills and small home ranges of these fishes. Although information with regards to seahorse behaviors has increased in the last period, there is still a severe lack of knowledge concerning behavioral traits of the majority of Hippocampus spp. worldwide. The present study aims to present preliminary data on behaviour traits of captive H. hippocampus (short-snouted seahorse) under different conditions of habitat complexity and water temperature. In agreement with previous studies conducted on congeneric species H. hippocampus showed great thermal tolerance at least in the thermal range used in the present experiment. On the contrary, significant differences were found in behaviors adopted in the presence and absence of the algal component. However, it will be necessary to further investigate H. hippocampus behavior also in consideration of its interactions with the congeneric H. guttulatus when they occur sympatrically.