Before we get into today’s Wild Fact, I would just like everyone to take a quick peak into the title of this fact. That’s right, it says Wild Fact #10. Ladies and gentleman, boy and girls, we have made it to the Top 10 Wild Facts. In an attempt to reflect on the beginning of this project, I will be including a link at the bottom of the final 10 Wild Facts. This link will bring you to the corresponding Wild Fact from the beginning of the project. So for today, you will see a link to Wild Fact #990 – the tenth Wild Fact every written.
I would like to thank all of the readers over the last 3 and a half years and I hope you enjoy the final lap as we head to Wild Fact #1.
Okay, now let’s get onto today’s amazing animal, the Satomi’s Pygmy Seahorse.
Cool Facts About the Satomi’s Pygmy Seahorse
- The Satomi’s Pygmy Seahorse is the smallest species of seahorse on the planet…until we discover one that is a little smaller.
- This particular species is new to the scientific community as they were only discovered in 2008, swimming in the oceans around Borneo
- The diver that discovered this new specimen has definitely received his 15 minutes of fame (maybe a little more) as this seahorse was named after Satomi Onishi. Just once, I would like someone to name an animal after me 🙂
The Tiniest Seahorse in the Ocean
After 990 Wild Facts, I have learned that I can’t just go on and mention that the Satomi’s Pygmy Seahorse is the smallest seahorse in the world without providing the dimensions, so here they are. This amazingly small seahorse has an average length of 13.8 millimetres (0.54″) and a height of 11.5 millimetres (0.45″). With sizes such as this, I can understand how they went undetected for so long. To make detection even more difficult, the Satomi’s Pygmy Seahorse is known for being incredibly elusive during the day. Their transparent (usually has a white or greyish tint to it) body allows them to blend in very well with their ocean background.
Considering how difficult these creatures would be to spot, I think Mr. Satomi Onishi deserves to have it named after him. Great job on finding these elusive little horses.
The Comfort of Sleeping in a Group
As day turns to night, the Satomi’s Pygmy Seahorse will gather with 3 to 5 other individuals as it appears they hate sleeping alone. These groups of seahorses will come together just below the beautiful coral reefs and spend the night together. I am not sure why they exhibit this behaviour but it could very well be a defence mechanism as many animals will sleep in a group surrounding to protect against any deadly predators. Why do you think this Pygmy Seahorse doesn’t like sleeping alone?
Wild Fact From The Past: Wild Fact #990 – The Sweet Smell of Pheromones in the Winter (Wow…it is hilarious looking at the original blog posts – things have definitely evolved over time)
