What is a seahorse?

 

Don’t be fooled by the name: A seahorse is actually not a horse at all, but a fish! Have you ever seen a seahorse? They’re very unique looking, and the shape of their horse-like heads is where they get their funny name! (Other than that, though, the two animals have nothing particular in common.) 

Seahorses come in many sizes – some are really tiny (about half of an inch!) while others are up to a foot long! (Grab a ruler to check out the difference in these sizes.) Seahorses are unlike a lot of other fish because they swim in an upright position. When they want to stay in one place, they use their special curly, coiled tails to latch onto seaweed and coral. To eat, they suck tiny sea organisms in through their mouths. However, seahorses don’t have stomachs and digest their food very quickly. Because of that, they have to eat almost all the time!  

Did you know that seahorses were once accidentally thought to be insects?! What features have you learned about insects and fish that make a seahorse definitely fall into the category of “fish” and not “bugs”?

Draw a picture of a seahorse. What are some of the seahorse’s physical characteristics that you should be sure to include??