New seahorse species identified by Kerala researchers

Marine researchers claimed to have solved a 150-year-old taxonomic confusion regarding the identity of the thorny seahorse, Hippocampus histrix .

Scientific studies have identified a new species, Hippocampus amandavincentae , which was previously misidentified as Hippocampus histrix , they said.

Earlier, researchers had described Hippocampus jayakari , a lesser-known one, which was also previously wrongly identified as Hippocampus histrix , they said.

The new species, which was named after noted marine biologist Amanda Vincent, was collected from the fish bycatch at the Tuticorin fisheries harbour by Shalu Kannan, the lead author of the paper.

The species was described in a recently released research paper, according to the team of researchers from Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos).

This is also the fifth known seahorse species from the Kerala coast, they said.