570 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 83 



HIPPOCAMPUS HIPPOCAMPUS ainnaeus) 



Syngnathus hippocampus Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. 10, p. 338, 1758 (as 



restricted by Leach, 1814; originally a composite species). 

 Hippocampus heptagonus Rafinesque, Caratteri di alcuni nuovi generi e nuove 



specie di animali e piante della Sicilia, p. 18, 1810 (substitute for S. hippo- 

 campus Linnaeus to avoid tautonymy). 

 Hippocampus antiquorum Leach, The zoological miscellany vol. 1, p. 104, 1814 



(Mediterranean only locality mentioned; substitute for S. hippocampus 



Linnaeus to avoid tautonymy; seahorses split up into more than one species 



and this name restricted to a Mediterranean species). 

 Hippocampus brevirostris Schinz, Das Thierreich von Cuvier, vol. 2, p. 262, 1822 



(substitute for S. hippocampus Linnaeus to avoid tautonymy, the latter name 



being previously restricted by Leach to the Mediterranean species having 



blunt tubercles). 

 Hippocampus antiquus Risso, Histoire naturelle dcs principales productions de 



I'Europe meridionale . . . , vol. 3, p. 183, 1826 (description most likely refers 



to present species, see p. 521). 

 Hippocampus brevirostris Cuvier, Le rdgne animal, ed. 2, vol. 2, p. 363, 1829 



(name anticipated by Schinz, 1822). 

 Hippocampus brevirostris Guerin-M^ineville, Iconographie du regne animal 



du G. Cuvier, vol. 2, Poiss., pi. 65, fig. 2, 1829-38. 

 Hippocampus jubatus de la Pylaie, Congr. Sci. France, Poitiers, 1834, 2d sess., 



p. 528, 1835 (either a pre-Linnaean name or else a nomen nudum, see p. 524). 

 Hippocampus brevirostris Rauther, Die Syngnathiden des Golfes von Neapel, 



p. 8, pi. 2, figs. 11, 16, and 18, pi. 16, fig. 173, 1925 (gives also extensive 



account of biology and anatomy of species). 



Diagnosis. — First caudal segment usually hexangular, often quad- 

 rangular (completely hexangular in seven, incompletely hexangular 

 in one, quadrangular in three) ; last trunk segment octangular; penulti- 

 mate trunk segments usually septangular like segments preceding it 

 (in eight), often novemangular (in the three specimens ha\dng a 

 completely quadrangular first caudal segment noted above). In 

 other words, first caudal and last trunk segment usually with an 

 extra plate on top ; when extra plate is absent on first caudal segment 

 it is present on penultimate trunk segments; or, upper ridges of tail 

 and trunk overlapping on two segments, usually on the first caudal 

 and last trunk segment, sometimes on last two trunk segments. 

 Trunk segments 11 (in all 11 specimens examined). Caudal segments 

 modally 35, varying 34 to 36. Dorsal rays usually 17, sometimes 16. 

 Pectoral rays modally 14, varying 13 to 15. Tubercles low in 

 medium-sized fish, becoming nearly obsolescent in large specimens, 

 or at least very low and narrowly rounded above, not pointed, not 

 abruptly stubby. Coronet rather high and blunt, bony tubercles in 

 front of it obsolescent. Trunk deep; snout short. Filaments few, 

 rather short, or entirely absent (highlj^ variable as in related species 

 shown on one of Rauther's figures, plate 16, to have many rather 

 long and branched filaments). Color dark, numerous small brown 

 spots of deeper intensity than ground color more or less evident, some- 

 times coalescing to form short lines or elongate spots on lower side 



