About Hippocampus subelongatus Castelnau, 1873
The tiger snout seahorse (Hippocampus subelongatus), also called the West Australian seahorse, is a fish species belonging to the family Syngnathidae. It is endemic to south-western Australia, found between the Abrolhos Islands and Rockingham. Its natural habitats include the edges of rocky areas, muddy bottoms, and murky water with high sediment loads, around jetty pilings and moorings. It is often found near sponges or sea squirts, and frequently attaches itself to man-made objects. This species moves to deeper water during winter. Hippocampus subelongatus forms strictly monogamous breeding pairs. The number of mated females is higher than the number of unmated females, while the number of mated and unmated males is roughly equal. This pattern directly results from substantial sexual selection on females, as males prefer larger females when mating.
