taxonID	type	description	language	source
0394A25C2B2AFFCBFF27FE2DFCF02D81.taxon	materials_examined	Type material. Holotype: MZB 13593 (16.9 mm, male), Lekuan II, Bunaken, North Sulawesi, Indonesia (1 o 36 ' 5 " N 124 o 45 ' 56 " E), 16 m depth, among algae / hydroid crops, 18 July 2003, M. Aw. Figures 2 A and 3 A. Paratypes: MZB 13596 (16.8 mm, male), Negeri / Manado Tua, North Sulawesi, Indonesia (1 o 37 ' 28 " N 124 o 42 ' 54 " E), 12 m depth, among byrozoans / hydroids, 22 July 2004, R. Lahengko. MZB 13597 (16.6 mm, male?), Alung Banua, Bunaken, North Sulawesi, Indonesia (1 o 37 ' 7 " N 124 o 45 ' 30 " E), among byrozoans / hydroids, 22 July 2004, R. Lahengko.	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
0394A25C2B2AFFCBFF27FE2DFCF02D81.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Extremely small size (height 14 mm, standard length 17 mm); 12 trunk rings; 26 – 28 tail rings; reduced ossification of inferior and ventral trunk ridges; 14 dorsal fin rays; 9 – 10 pectoral fin rays; small or absent anal fin; brooding area in males anterior to anus; medium length snout which lacks a bulbous tip; raised, angular coronet; fused (or almost fused in holotype) gill-openings on midline behind coronet supported by raised cleithral girdle; scattered tubercles on trunk and tail; distinctive branching filaments (usually red in life) attached to the enlarged superior trunk ridge spine of the fifth trunk ring; white colour, occasionally with yellow or pink especially along the dorsal surface, with fine red lines on the trunk, and reddish transverse bands across the tail. Comparison. Hippocampus pontohi is most similar to H. colemani and is primarily separated from the latter species on the basis of tail ring counts (26 – 28 in H. pontohi, versus 28 – 30 in H. colemani), raised angular coronet, the following proportions: OD: HL (22.4 – 26.6 % vs 18.6 – 18.9 %), TD 9: SL (11.0 – 15.7 % vs 18.9 – 19.5 %) and overall size (SL 16.6 – 16.9 mm vs 26.5 – 27.3 mm). Hippocampus pontohi is much less robust overall than H. bargibanti and lacks the latter’s very large tubercles and bulbous snout tip. It can be further distinguished from H. bargibanti by body colour (white vs purple with red tubercles, or grey with yellow / orange tubercles), fewer tail rings (26 – 28 vs 31 – 33), proportionally larger head (HL: SL 20.4 – 23.9 % in H. pontohi vs 14.8 – 19.5 % in H. bargibanti), less pronounced coronet (CH: HL 45.1 – 50.7 % vs 46.1 – 64.1 %), narrower snout (SnD: SnL 79.2 – 87.7 % vs 82.2 – 144.1 %), larger orbit (OD: HL 22.4 – 26.6 % vs 14.2 – 24.0 %), smaller post-orbital (PO: HL 49.0 – 53.5 % vs 51.6 – 63.3 %), longer trunk length (TrL: SL 32.4 – 33.9 % vs 25.7 – 29.5 %) and shorter tail length (TaL: SL 43.7 – 45.8 % vs 53.3 – 57.1 %). It can be distinguished from H. denise by its body colour (white vs orange), deeper head (HD: HL 59.3 – 61.5 % in H. pontohi vs 41.1 – 55.7 % in H. denise), shorter snout (SnL: HL 22.6 – 24.4 % vs 27.1 – 38.7 %), larger orbit (OD: HL 22.4 – 26.6 % vs 18.8 – 23.5 %), larger post-orbital (PO: HL 49.0 – 53.5 % vs 39.1 – 45.2 %), longer trunk (TrL: SL 32.4 – 33.9 % vs 23.1 – 31.7 %), shorter tail (TaL: SL 43.7 – 45.8 % vs 47.4 – 57.2 %) and deeper body (TD 9: SL 11.0 – 15.7 % vs 4.1 – 15.5 %). Both sexes of H. pontohi have rounded trunk profiles in comparison to female H. denise’s narrow trunk. Furthermore, H. pontohi has a more pronounced coronet, fewer tail rings (26 – 28 vs 27 – 30) and fewer pectoral fin rays (9 – 10 vs 10 – 11). Hippocampus pontohi can be differentiated from H. minotaur most clearly on the basis of meristic values: TrR 12 vs 8 – 9, TaR 26 – 28 vs 41, PF 9 – 10 vs 11 and DF 14 vs 7 – 9. It also has a significantly shallower head (HD: HL 59.3 – 61.5 vs 75.1 – 80.2 %), longer trunk (TrL: SL 32.4 – 33.9 vs 18.4 – 24.7 %), shorter tail (TaL: SL 43.7 – 45.8 vs 56.0 – 66.6 %) and longer dorsal fin base (DL: SL 7.3 – 8.0 vs 1.5 – 2.4 %).	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
0394A25C2B2AFFCBFF27FE2DFCF02D81.taxon	description	Description. In addition to the characters given in the diagnosis: head length 20.8 % (20.3 – 23.9 %) in SL, and head depth 59.3 % (60.8 % – 61.5 %) in HL; snout length 24.4 % (22.6 – 22.7 %) in HL without bulbous tip, and snout depth 87.7 % (79.2 – 85.5 %) in SnL; orbital diameter 22.4 % (22.9 – 26.6 %) in HL; post-orbital length 50.9 % (49.0 – 53.5 %) in HL; frontal bone strongly raised posteriorly to form a sharply angled coronet (Figure 2 A); pectoral fin-base raised; pectoral fin rays 10 (9 – 10). Trunk rings (TrR) 12, dorsal surface of TrR 1 and TrR 2 expanded laterally (but without spines); trunk length 33.6 % (32.4 – 33.9 %) in SL; trunk depth just anterior to dorsal fin base 15.7 % (11.0 – 13.8 %) in SL; dorsal fin base strongly raised and angled with respect to trunk (highest posteriorly); dorsal fin base starting immediately posterior to 9 th trunk ring and ending immediately posterior to 12 th trunk ring (covering 3 + 0 rings); dorsal fin rays 14; no external pouch visible in males, developing young housed entirely within trunk region anterior to the anus; anal fin not visible in any of the type specimens; first tail ring quadrangular; tail rings 26 (27 – 28); tail length 45.6 % (43.7 – 45.8 %) in SL. Sexual dimorphism appears to be limited to differences in the genital region: males with vertical pouch slit, females with slightly raised, circular genital opening (see Lourie & Randall, 2003 for diagram). Body ornamentation: prominent rounded spine above each eye, on midline of snout between eyes, and on either side of head below coronet; shoulder spine at base of pectoral fin; cheek spine; orbital ring with 12 small spines of alternating colours (brown / white); unbranched filament attached to anterior part of coronet in MZB 13596, other specimens without head filaments; greatly enlarged rounded spines on superior ridge of 5 th trunk ring to which distinctive branched red filaments are attached; greatly enlarged rounded spine on superior ridge of 12 th trunk ring and smaller, but still prominent, rounded spines on the lateral ridge of 8 th trunk ring; small, rounded spines on the inferior ridges of 8 th, 9 th, 10 th and 11 th trunk ring (visible as tiny spines in MZB 13596). Enlarged rounded spines on superior ridge of tail align with bands of colour across 5 th, 8 th (or 9 th), 12 th, and 15 th (or 16 th) rings. Colour in life: white, pinkish or yellowish-white (slightly darker on dorsal surface) with fine red lines tracing the superior trunk ridge and extending ventrally in broad loop around 5 th and 8 th trunk ring; 3 – 5 red transverse bands across tail that correspond to the position of enlarged superior tail ridge spines; scattered dark markings on head; sporadic dark markings on ventral midline between horizontal trunk ridges; dark patch immediately posterior to anus (Figure 4 A). Colour in alcohol: pale cream with mid-ventral markings and bands on tail retained but muted. Dorsal and pectoral fins with dark spots in line near dorsal margin (Figure 3 A).	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
0394A25C2B2AFFCBFF27FE2DFCF02D81.taxon	discussion	Discussion. Two other specimens examined: NMV 24979 - 001 (17.3 mm, male; 16.6 mm, female), Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea (10 o 20 ' S 150 o 25 ' E), 12 m depth, in Halimeda, November 2002, L. Maleta are tentatively identified as H. colemani on the basis of tail ring number, lack of raised coronet, TaL: SL, HD: HL, as well as their geographic locality. The specimens are, however, much smaller than the type specimens of H. colemani and have other proportions that are more similar to H. pontohi sp. nov. than to H. colemani. It is possible that future research will reveal that H. pontohi and H. colemani represent a cline of variation within a single species. In the interests of clarity, and given the present lack of additional data, comparisons in the text descriptions and Tables 1 to 3 are restricted to the type specimens of H. colemani.	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
0394A25C2B2AFFCBFF27FE2DFCF02D81.taxon	etymology	Etymology. This species is named in honour of Hence Pontoh, the Indonesian dive guide who first brought these pygmy seahorses to our attention.	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
0394A25C2B2AFFCBFF27FE2DFCF02D81.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecology. Hippocampus pontohi has been observed on the coralline algae Halimeda, as well as on the hydroid Aglaephenia cupressina (Müller and Severns, pers. comm.). Severns noted it particularly in areas where Halimeda is growing on reef walls. It has been recorded at a number of areas in Indonesia (Bunaken, Cape Sri, Sorong, Wakatobi, Lembeh Straits), at depths of between 11 – 25 m particularly on vertical walls or in rock fissures (Müller, pers. comm.). See figure 5 A for map. Hippocampus pontohi is commonly found in pairs and, like H. denise, is relatively active (Müller, pers. comm.). Two of the specimens examined were pregnant (MZB 13593 and MZB 13596) and each contained approximately 11 embryos. Both were collected in July.	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
0394A25C2B28FFC6FF27F8FEFAF12DA4.taxon	materials_examined	Type material. Holotype: MZB 13594 (16.6 mm, male), between Alung Banua and Cela Point, Bunaken, North Sulawesi, Indonesia (1 o 37 ’ 07 ” to 1 o 36 ’ 47 ” N 124 o 45 ’ 30 ” to 124 o 46.03 ” E, 50 ft (15.2 m) depth, June 2002, M. Severns & H. Pontoh. Figures 2 B and 3 B. Paratypes: MZB 13595 (16.5 mm, female), collection details as for holotype; NMV A 24980 - 001 (12.4 mm, female), Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea (10 o 20 ' S 150 o 25 ' E), 12 m depth, black coral, November 2002, L. Maleta.	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
0394A25C2B28FFC6FF27F8FEFAF12DA4.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Extremely small size (height 13 mm, standard length 15 mm); 12 trunk rings; 27 tail rings; reduced ossification of inferior and ventral trunk ridges; 14 dorsal fin rays; 10 pectoral fin rays; small or absent anal fin; medium length snout which lacks a bulbous tip; raised, angular coronet; single gill opening on midline directly behind coronet supported by raised cleithral bone; scattered tubercles on trunk and tail; predominant colour dark brown (sometimes slightly marbled) with large, bright red patch covering dorso-lateral surfaces of TrR 1 – 4; tiny white dots scattered all over; pale posterior section of tail with dark transverse bands. Comparison. Hippocampus severnsi shares most meristic characters with H. pontohi. They differ primarily in live colour and pattern. H. severnsi can be separated from H. colemani in the same way as H. pontohi, with an additional difference being body colour (brown vs white). Tail ring counts are 27 in H. severnsi vs 28 – 30 in H. colemani. Other differences include H. severnsi’s raised angular coronet and the following proportions: OD: HL (24.1 – 26.1 % vs 18.6 – 18.9 %), TD 9: SL (11.9 – 15.1 % vs 18.9 – 19.5 %), DL: SL (8.4 – 11.3 % vs 6.0 – 6.7 %) and overall size (SL 12.4 – 16.6 mm vs 26.5 – 27.3 mm). H. severnsi is much less robust overall than H. bargibanti and lacks H. bargibanti’s very large tubercles, and bulbous snout tip. It can be further distinguished from H. bargibanti by its body colour (brown vs purple with red tubercles or grey with yellow / orange tubercles), fewer tail rings (27 vs 31 – 33), proportionally larger, but less deep head (HL: SL 20.9 – 22.4 % in H. severnsi vs 14.8 – 19.5 % in H. bargibanti; HD: HL 51.7 – 62.5 % vs 60.8 – 70.3 %), less pronounced coronet (CH: HL 44.7 – 49.9 % vs 46.1 – 64.1 %), larger orbit (OD: HL 24.1 – 26.1 % vs 14.2 – 24.0 %), smaller post-orbital (PO: HL 47.4 – 51.0 % vs 51.6 – 63.3 %), longer trunk (TrL: SL 29.9 – 33.1 % vs 25.7 – 29.5 %) and shorter tail (TaL: SL 45.9 – 48.3 % vs 53.3 – 57.1 %). It can be distinguished from H. denise by its body colour (brown vs orange), deeper head (HD: HL 51.7 – 62.5 % in H. severnsi vs 41.1 – 55.7 % in H. denise), shorter and deeper snout (SnL: HL 24.2 – 27.8 % vs 27.1 – 38.7 %; SnD: SnL 83.9 – 97.4 % vs 62.7 – 81.2 %), larger orbit (OD: HL 24.1 – 26.1 % vs 18.8 – 23.5 %), larger post-orbital (PO: HL 47.4 – 51.0 % vs 39.1 – 45.2 %), deeper trunk (TD 9: SL 11.9 – 15.1 % vs 4.1 – 15.1 %), longer trunk (TrL: SL 29.9 – 33.1 % vs 23.1 – 31.7 %) and shorter tail (TaL: SL 45.9 – 48.3 % vs 47.4 – 57.2 %). Both sexes of H. severnsi have rounded trunk profiles in comparison to female H. denise’s narrow trunk. Furthermore, it has a much more pronounced coronet and fewer tail rings (27 vs 27 – 30). Hippocampus severnsi can be differentiated from H. minotaur most clearly on the basis of meristic values: TrR 12 vs 8 – 9, TaR 27 vs 41, PF 10 vs 11 and DF 14 vs 7 – 9. It also has a significantly shallower head (HD: HL 51.7 – 62.5 vs 75.1 – 80.2 %), longer trunk (TrL: SL 29.9 – 33.1 vs 18.4 – 24.7 %), shorter tail (TaL: SL 45.9 – 48.3 vs 56.0 – 66.6 %) and longer dorsal fin base (DL: SL 8.4 – 11.3 vs 1.5 – 2.4 %).	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
0394A25C2B28FFC6FF27F8FEFAF12DA4.taxon	description	Description. In addition to the characters given in the diagnosis: head length 20.9 % (21.6 – 22.4 %) in SL, and depth 60.8 % (51.7 – 62.5 %) in HL; snout length 24.2 % (25.8 – 27.8 %) in HL without bulbous tip, and depth 83.9 % (88.0 – 97.4 %) in SnL; orbital diameter 24.1 % (25.2 – 26.0 %) in HL; postorbital length 48.1 % (47.4 – 51.0 %) in HL; frontal bone strongly raised posteriorly to form a sharply angled coronet (Figure 2 B); pectoral fin – base raised; pectoral fin rays 10. Trunk rings (TrR) 12, the dorsal surface of TrR 1 greatly expanded laterally (and TrR 2 to a lesser extent) without spines; trunk length 33.1 % (29.9 – 30.0 %) in SL; trunk depth just anterior to dorsal fin base 15.1 % (11.9 – 13.6 %) in SL; dorsal fin base strongly raised and angled with respect to the trunk (highest posteriorly); dorsal fin base starting immediately posterior to the 9 th trunk ring and ending immediately posterior to the 12 th trunk ring (covering 3 + 0 rings); dorsal fin rays 14; no external pouch visible in males, developing young housed entirely within trunk region; anal fin not visible in the holotype but present (with 4 fin rays) in paratypes; first tail ring quadrangular; tail rings 27; tail length 45.9 % (47.7 – 48.3 %) in SL. Sexual dimorphism appears to be limited to differences in the genital region: males with vertical pouch slit, females with slightly raised, circular genital opening. Body ornamentation: prominent rounded spine above each eye, on midline of snout between eyes, and on either side of the head below the coronet; shoulder spine at base of pectoral fin; cheek spine; black orbital ring with 12 small spines; thick branched or unbranched filament attached to anterior part of coronet; small rounded spine on the superior ridge of the 1 st trunk ring; greatly enlarged rounded spines on the superior ridge of the 5 th trunk ring with distinctive branched red filaments attached; greatly enlarged rounded spine also on superior ridge of the 12 th trunk ring and smaller, but still prominent, spines on lateral and inferior ridges of the 8 th and inferior ridge of 11 th trunk ring. In NMV A 24980 – 001 lateral TrR 5 and inferior TrR 5 – 10 spines also developed. Enlarged rounded spines on superior ridge of the tail correspond to bands of colour across 5 th, 9 th, and 12 th (or 4 th, 8 th, 11 th, 14 th in NMV A 24980 – 001) rings. Colour in life: brown (solid, or slightly marbled) with large red patch covering dorsal and lateral surfaces of TrR 1 – 4; posterior part of tail pale, with transverse brown bands at TaR 5, 9 and 12 (or 4, 8, 11, 14); scattered white dots on head, trunk and tail (Figure 4 B). Colour in alcohol: brown with pale posterior part of tail; transverse brown bands visible on tail (Figure 3 B).	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
0394A25C2B28FFC6FF27F8FEFAF12DA4.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Hippocampus severnsi is named in honour of Mike Severns who, with Hence Pontoh, collected the first specimens.	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
0394A25C2B28FFC6FF27F8FEFAF12DA4.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecology. Hippocampus severnsi is known from Indonesia (Bunaken, Wakatobi, Raja Ampat Islands, Kawe Island), Japan (Ryukyu Islands), Papua New Guinea (Milne Bay, Madang), Solomon Islands (Mborokua) and Fiji at depths of 8 – 20 m. See figure 5 B for map. It has been observed both during the day and the night but is apparently more active in the morning and late afternoon when it is not in direct sunlight (Müller, pers. comm.). In Indonesia it has been recorded in association with a yellow coloured bryozoan, Catenicella sp., on different kinds of hydrozoans including Lytocarpus phoenicea, Antennellopsis integerrima and Halicordyle disticha (Müller, pers. comm.) as well as in sheltered spots on a reef wall in association with Halimeda (Brett, pers. comm.). It is also recorded from fissures on current – swept walls where it will tend to occur on the side of the fissure that faces away from the current, but in all cases where there is some upward current (Müller, pers. comm.) and has been seen swimming over a fungiid coral (Hardt, pers. comm.). In Papua New Guinea it has been observed in a healthy reef passage with a regular current of up to two knots on a gorgonian of the genus Muricella at 12 m depth (Halstead, pers. comm.) and in Fiji it was found on gorgonian species, possibly Menella sp.? (Tackett, pers. comm.) The holotype of H. severnsi, collected in June, had approximately 11 embryos within its pouch.	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
0394A25C2B25FFC0FF27F89BFDD22F30.taxon	materials_examined	Type material. Holotype: NMV A 25420 – 001 (13.8 mm, male), Derawan Island, Kalimantan, Indonesia (02 o 17.690 ’ N, 118 o 15.692 ’ E), 10 – 18 m depth, on gorgonian Carijoa sp.? Muller 1867, October 2003, Satomi Onishi. Figures 2 C and 3 C. Paratype: NMV A 25420 – 002 (13.4 mm, female), collection details as for holotype.	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
0394A25C2B25FFC0FF27F89BFDD22F30.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Extremely small size (height 11 mm, standard length 14 mm); 12 trunk rings; 27 – 28 tail rings; reduced ossification of inferior and ventral trunk ridges; 13 dorsal fin rays; 9 pectoral fin rays; small or absent anal fin; brooding area in males anterior to anus; well – developed spine on snout between eyes; distinct raised coronet with laterally expanded anterior and posterior flanges (' H – shaped' when viewed from above); snout without a bulbous tip; single gill opening on midline directly behind coronet supported by raised cleithral bone; large spines above eyes (double), laterally on head, on shoulder (cleithral) ring, bordering throat, and on superior trunk ridge (especially well – developed on TrR 1 – 2,5,8 and 12 and TaR 4,8,11,14); spines also present on lateral and ventral angles between trunk ridges and rings; spines on superior ridge of first and second trunk rings appear externally as if they are fused. Comparison. The spines covering the body of H. satomiae gives it a rough appearance. They contrast with the large rounded tubercles invariably seen in H. bargibanti, occasionally in H. denise, and the scattered, narrower, rounded spines in H. pontohi and H. severnsi. Its colour and pattern contrast with the other species of pygmy seahorses: white – pale brown or greyish – transparent, with dark spot anterior to the eye in H. satomiae vs purple with red tubercles, or grey with yellow / orange tubercles in H. bargibanti, orange in H. denise, white in H. colemani and H. pontohi, and brown in H. severnsi. In addition to differences in body ornamentation and colour H. satomiae can be distinguished from H. pontohi and H. severnsi by shallower head (HD: HL 51.0 – 52.6 % vs 59.3 – 61.5 % or 51.7 – 62.5 %), smaller post-orbital (PO: HL 44.8 – 45.2 % vs 49.0 – 53.5 % or 47.4 – 51.0 %), and fewer pectoral (PF 9 vs 10) and dorsal (DF 13 vs 14) fin rays. It can be separated from H. colemani by its shallower head (HD: HL 51.0 – 52.6 % vs 61.7 – 63.6 %), larger orbit (OD: HL 23.8 – 23.9 % vs 18.6 – 18.9 %), smaller post-orbital (PO: HL 44.8 – 45.2 % vs 50.1 – 54.1 %), narrower body (TD 9: SL 10.7 – 15.0 % vs 18.9 – 19.5 %) and fewer pectoral (PF 9 vs 10) and dorsal (DF 13 vs 14) fin rays. It can be differentiated from H. bargibanti by its longer, but less deep head (HL: SL 21.7 – 22.2 % vs 14.8 – 19.5 %, HD: HL 51.0 – 52.6 % vs 60.8 – 70.3 %), longer snout (SnL: HL 26.4 – 27.5 % vs 18.5 – 23.2 %), less pronounced coronet (CH: HL 38.9 – 41.4 % vs 46.1 – 64.1 %), larger orbit (OD: HL 23.8 – 23.9 % vs 14.2 – 24.0 %), smaller post-orbital (PO: HL 44.8 – 45.2 % vs 51.6 – 63.3 %), shorter tail (TaL: SL 46.3 – 49.7 % vs 53.3 – 57.1 %), fewer tail rings (TaR 27 – 28 vs 31 – 33), fewer pectoral (PF 9 vs 10 – 11) and dorsal (DF 13 vs 14) fin rays. Both sexes of H. satomiae have rounded trunk profiles in comparison to female H. denise’s narrow trunk. From H. denise it can be separated additionally by its shorter snout (SnL: HL 26.4 – 27.5 % vs 27.1 – 38.7 %), and fewer pectoral (PF 9 vs 10 – 11) and dorsal (DF 13 vs 13 – 14) fin rays. Hippocampus satomiae can be differentiated from H. minotaur most clearly on the basis of meristic values: TrR 12 vs 8 – 9, TaR 27 – 28 vs 41, PF 9 vs 11 and DF 14 vs 7 – 9. It also has a significantly shallower head (HD: HL 51.0 – 52.6 vs 75.1 – 80.2 %), longer trunk (TrL: SL 28.6 – 31.6 vs 18.4 – 24.7 %), shorter tail (TaL: SL 46.3 – 49.7 vs 56.0 – 66.6 %) and longer dorsal fin base (DL: SL 7.9 – 8.2 vs 1.5 – 2.4 %).	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
0394A25C2B25FFC0FF27F89BFDD22F30.taxon	description	Description. In addition to the characters given in the diagnosis: head length 22.3 % (21.6 %) in SL; head depth 51.0 % (52.6 %) in HL; snout length 27.5 % (26.4 %) in HL without bulbous tip; snout depth 88.8 % (82.5 %) in SnL; orbit diameter 23.7 % (23.9 %) in HL; post-orbital length 44.8 % (45.2 %) in HL; coronet well – developed with a broad transverse flange anteriorly, a narrower one posteriorly, connected by a narrow longitudinal ridge; pectoral fin base raised; pectoral fin rays 9. Trunk rings 12; trunk length 31.3 % (28.6 %) in SL; trunk depth just anterior to dorsal fin base 15.0 % (10.7 %) in SL; dorsal fin base strongly raised posteriorly; dorsal fin base starting immediately posterior to 9 th trunk ring and ending posterior to 12 th trunk ring (covering 3 + 0 rings); dorsal fin rays 13; no external pouch visible, male with young carried within the trunk region; anal fin not visible in either specimen; first tail ring quadrangular; tail rings 27 (28); tail length 46.3 % (49.7 %) in SL. No pronounced differences in shape were observed between the sexes beyond those of the genital region. Body ornamentation: double spines above each eye; angular nose – spine; heavy square – tipped lateral spines (Y – shaped in cross – section) on temporals; long cheek (throat) spine curving slightly anteriorly; mid – cleithral spine (upper shoulder – ring spine) located at base of pectoral fin; broad ' wing – like' projections from superior ridge of TrR 1,2 and large spines also on superior ridge of TrR 5,8 and 12 and TaR 4,8,11,14; numerous scattered spines on trunk (giving it a rough appearance); spines square – or sharp – tipped; spines supported by bony extrusions visible in radiographs; small (unbranched) dermal filaments stemming from anterior part of coronet. Colour in life: white to pale brown or greyish base colour; black spot immediately anterior to eye; blotchy red markings on operculum and on dorsal and lateral surfaces of TrR 5 and TaR 4; brown transverse bands across TaR 8,11,14 etc (Figure 4 C). Colour in alcohol: pale grey, almost transparent (internal organs clearly visible through skin); black orbital ring; black spot anterior to eye; coronet dark; slightly darker transverse bands on tail (Figure 3 C).	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
0394A25C2B25FFC0FF27F89BFDD22F30.taxon	etymology	Etymology. This species is named in honour of Miss Satomi Onishi, the dive guide who collected the type specimens.	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
0394A25C2B25FFC0FF27F89BFDD22F30.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecology. Hippocampus satomiae is known from scattered localities in Indonesia, including Derawan (type locality), and Lembeh Strait (northern Sulawesi), as well as northern Borneo, Malaysia. See figure 5 C for map. It congregates at night in groups of 3 – 5 individuals on small seafans, at depths of 15 – 20 m depth on the bottom below reef overhangs. Photographed individuals (in Boyer, 2007) from the Togean Islands, Indonesia on a species of Nepthea Auduoin, 1826 on the reef front in water as shallow as 5 m are tentatively identified as H. satomiae. During the day H. satomiae are difficult to find, even in areas where they are known to occur. At dawn individuals become active. Birth has been observed on a number of occasions and also photographed. At birth, the young are jet – black, about 3 mm in height and shaped similarly to the adults. They settle on the bottom near to their place of birth (Onishi, pers. comm.). The holotype, collected in October, was pregnant and carrying approximately eight young.	en	Lourie, Sara A., Kuiter, Rudie H. (2008): Three new pygmy seahorse species from Indonesia (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus). Zootaxa 1963 (1): 54-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1963.1.4, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1963.1.4
