Taxonomic notes: Section empty

Hippocampus colemani is extant in the coastal waters of Lord Howe Island and New South Wales, Australia (Kuiter  2003), Papua New Guinea (Milne Bay), and the Ryuku Islands of Japan (Allen and Erdmann 2012).

Due to its extremely small size and excellent camouflage, H. colemani has gone largely unnoticed until it was discovered at Lord Howe Island in 2003 (Kuiter 2003). There are no known surveys or estimations of this species’ population size.  The species is known from four specimens and additional photographs from a few occasions. H. colemani appears to be a rare species, however further studies are needed to confirm this.

Hippocampus colemani is found in shallow coastal habitats around 5 m in depth, comprising coarse sand and Zostera and Halophila sea grasses. Fine filamentous algae on sea grass leaves are attached to the skins of the seahorses, acting as a form of camouflage (Kuiter 2003).

The trade quantities in which this species is involved in are unknown but thought to be minimal, as pygmy seahorses are not susceptible to bycatch like their larger congenerics. The species has not been documented in the aquarium trade.

There are no known direct threats to this species, however it may be susceptible to the loss and degradation of its seagrass habitat which is occurring globally (Waycott et al. 2009; Short et al. 2011).  Further local data on seagrass habitat trends and sea filling, which is a current issue in parts of Southeast Asia, are needed within the species' range.

• 7.3 Other ecosystem modifications
• 1.3 Tourism & recreation areas
• 1.2 Commercial & industrial areas
• 1.1 Housing & urban areas
• 11.1 Habitat shifting & alteration
• 9.3.2 Soil erosion, sedimentation

Hippocampus colemani is not currently the focus of any direct conservation efforts. The type locality of the species is protected, and its range may overlap with other protected areas.

All Hippocampus species were listed on CITES Appendix II in 2004. In Australia, under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act in 2001, it is illegal to take, trade, injure or kill Syngnathids except under permits issued by the Minister of the Environment. On a state level, all species that belong to the family Syngnathidae are protected under the New South Wales Fisheries Management Act in 1994.

Hippocampus colemani is listed as Data Deficient. It is known only from a few specimens and encounters. No population estimates have been made, and the overall range of the species is not clear, and no trend information is available.  Further research on population sizes and threats for both H. colemani and associated seagrass habitat is needed.

• Allen, G.R. and Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef Fishes of the East Indies. Tropical Reef Research, Pearth, Australia.
• Kuiter, R.H. 2003. A new pygmy seahorse (Pisces: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus) from Lord Howe Island. Records of the Australian Museum 55: 113-116.
• Short, F.T., Polidoro, B., Livingston, S.R., Carpenter, K.E., Bandeira, S., Bujang, J.S., Calumpong, H.P., Carruthers, T.J.B., Coles, R.G., Dennison, W.C., Erftemeijer, P.L.A., Fortes, M.D., Freeman, A.S., Jagtap, T.G., Kamal, A.H.M., Kendrick, G.A., Kenworthy, W.J., Nafie, Y.A.L., Nasution, I.M., Orth, R.J., Prathep, A., Sanciango, J.C., van Tussenbroek, Vergara, S.G., Waycott, M., and Zieman, J.C. B., 2011. Extinction risk assessment of the world's seagrass species. Biological Conservation In Press.
• Waycott, M., Duarte, C.M., Carruthers, T.J.B., Orth, R.J., Dennison, W.C., Olyarnik, S., Calladine, A., Fourqurean, J.W., Heck, K.L., Hughes, A.R., Kendrick, G.A., Kentworthy, W.J., Short, F.T. and Williams, S.L. 2009. Accelerating loss of seagrasses across the globe threatens coastal ecosystems. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 106(30): 12377-12381.