Big-belly seahorse  (Hippocampus abdominalis)

Alga: A collection of taxonomically unrelated groups that share some common features but are grouped together for historical reasons and for convenience. They are of simple construction, and are mainly photoautotrophic, obtaining all their energy from light and carbon dioxide, and possess the photosynthetic pigment, chlorophyll A. They range in complexity from microscopic single cells to very complex plant-like forms, such as kelps. Algal groups include blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), red algae (rhodophyta), green algae (chlorophyta), brown algae and diatoms (chromista) as well as euglenophyta.
By-catch: In the fishing industry, the part of the catch made up of non-target species.
Crustacea: Diverse group of arthropods (a phylum of animals with jointed limbs and a hard chitinous exoskeleton) characterised by the possession of two pairs of antennae, one pair of mandibles (parts of the mouthparts used for handling and processing food) and two pairs of maxillae (appendages used in eating, which are located behind the mandibles). Includes crabs, lobsters, shrimps, slaters, woodlice and barnacles.
Dorsal fin: The unpaired fin found on the back of the body of fish, or the raised structure on the back of most cetaceans.
Ovipositor: Egg-laying organ in female insects consisting of outgrowths of the abdomen (the hind region of the body in insects). The stinging organ and poison sac of worker bees and non-reproductive female wasps is a modified ovipositor.
Pectoral fins: In fish, the pair of fins that are found one on each side of the body just behind the gills. They are generally used for balancing and braking.
Pelagic: Inhabiting the open oceans.
Prehensile: Capable of grasping.

1. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2006 (May, 2006)
   http://www.redlist.org
   
2. Fishbase (March, 2004)
   http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=46324&genusname=Hippocampus&speciesname=abdominalis
   
3. Pogonoski, J.J., Pollard D.A. & Paxton, J.R. (2002) Conservation Overview and Action Plan for Australian Threatened and Potentially Threatened Marine and Estuarine Fishes.Environment Australia. (March, 2004)
   http://www.deh.gov.au/coasts/species/marine-fish/syngnathidae6.html
   
4. Australian Museum Fish Site-Fish Facts. Big-belly seahorse (March, 2004)
   http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/fishfacts/fish/habdom.htm
   
5. Project Seahorse- Biology of seahorses (March, 2004)
   http://seahorse.fisheries.ubc.ca/biology2.html
   
6. Woods, C.M.C. (2002) Natural diet of the seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 36: 655 - 660.
   
7. Project Seahorse- trade (March, 2004)
   http://seahorse.fisheries.ubc.ca/trade.html
   
8. Project seahorse- conservation (March, 2004)
   http://seahorse.fisheries.ubc.ca/conservation.html
   
9. Lourie, S.A., Foster, S.J., Cooper, E.W. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2004) A guide to the identification of seahorses - Project Seahorse and TRAFFIC North America. University of British Columbia and World Wildlife Fund, Washington, D.C.
   
10. Martin-Smith, K.M. (2005) Pers. Comm.
    
11. Martin-Smith, K.M. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2005) Seahorse declines in the Derwent estuary, Tasmania in the absence of fishing pressure. Biological Conservation, 123: 533 - 545.