IUCN Red List Category: DD (Draft)
Animalia | Chordata | Vertebrata | Actinopterygii | Syngnathiformes | Syngnathidae | Hippocampus | Hippocampus borboniensis |
Taxonomic notes: Section empty
Known from the eastern Indian Ocean around East Africa and Madagascar. Genetic research suggests that this species may be part of the kuda complex (S. Casey, in litt. in Lourie et al. 1999). Further research is required.
This species may be particularly susceptible to decline. The limited information on habitat suggests they inhabit shallow sea-grass beds (A. Holley, pers. comm. in Lourie et al. 1999) that are susceptible to human degradation, as well as making them susceptible to being caught as bycatch. All seahorse species have vital parental care, and many species studied to date have high site fidelity (Perante et al. 2002, Vincent et al. in review), highly structured social behaviour (Vincent and Sadler 1995), and relatively sparse distributions (Lourie et al. 1999). The importance of life history parameters in determining response to exploitation has been demonstrated for a number of species (Jennings et al. 1998).
Hippocampus borboniensis is found in the traditional medicine and curios trades (Vincent and Perry in prep.), however, the numbers of animals traded are unknown. Its habitat may also be threatened by degradation – the Mauritius and La Reunion coral reefs are being degraded by sedimentation and nutrient pollution (Bryant et al. 1998, Cuet et al. 1988, Naim 1993).
The entire genus Hippocampus was listed in Appendix II of CITES in November 2002. Implementation of this listing will begin May 2004. A permit or license is required to export dried or live syngnathids from South Africa. Further research on this species biology, ecology, habitat, abundance and distribution is needed.
There are no published data about population trends or total numbers of mature animals for this species. There is very little available information about its extent of occurrence or its area of occupancy. There have been no quantitative analyses examining the probability of extinction of this species. As a result, the assessors have insufficient data to properly assess the species against any of the IUCN criteria.
Hippocampus borboniensis previously was listed in 1996 as VU A2cd under the 1994 criteria. That assessment was based on suspected past declines in occupancy, occurrence and habitat, as well as on potential levels of exploitation. In reassessing the species with greater taxonomic understanding and under the new criteria we find no appropriate data on biology and ecology, habitat, abundance and distribution are available for this species. Further research is needed. Assessed as DD under the new criteria.
Cuet, P, Naim, O., Faure, G. and Conan, J-Y. 1988. Nutrient-rich groundwater impact on benthic
communities of La Saline fringing reef (Reunion Island, Indian Ocean): Preliminary results. Proceedings of the 6th Internatinal Coral Reef Symposium 2: 207-212
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