The Editor says: The pygmy seahorse's tiny frame and adorably puckered little mouth make it a must-have shot for divers everywhere. But if you manage to capture a pygmy seahorse in the act of pooping, that's a true explosion of sharp eyes + patience + sheer luck — a rare convergence of all the good karma. Let's take a look at this classic moment captured by Bubblescuba/AOI exclusive photographer Joe Chang!
What kinds of pygmy seahorses are there?
The world's first pygmy seahorse was discovered in 1996, and no matter which dive site you visit around the globe, the pygmy seahorse's adorable appearance never fails to draw a queue of divers eager to snap a photo. In Manado, Indonesia, the discovery of pygmy seahorses even led to the establishment of a conservation zone — drawing more than 20,000 divers a year and generating over NT$800 million in pygmy seahorse tourism revenue! Four species of pygmy seahorse have been discovered and formally named worldwide:
- Bargibant's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti)
- Coleman's pygmy seahorse (H. colemani)
- Denise's pygmy seahorse (H. denise)
- Pontoh's pygmy seahorse (H. pontohi)
The most commonly seen species in Taiwanese waters is Bargibant's pygmy seahorse, which can be found on gorgonians / sea fans in places like the Northeast Coast, Kenting, and Green Island. The rare images Joe captured this time at Green Island feature the even more seldom-seen Coleman's pygmy seahorse, Hippocampus colemani, known colloquially as the "paper seahorse" or "Xiao Qian pygmy."
The Xiao Qian pygmy is incredibly tiny
Just what does a pygmy seahorse look like mid-poop? Scroll down and find out!
Who would have thought that such a tiny little pygmy seahorse could produce such a surprisingly generous amount of poop! Next time you're lucky enough to spot a pygmy seahorse underwater, don't forget to check whether it's in the middle of doing its business 😄
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