The presence of the seahorse Hippocampus patagonicus in deep waters: additional evidence of the dispersive capacity of the species diego c. luzzatto 1 , mari 'a g. pujol 2 , daniel figueroa 3 and juan m. di 'az de astarloa 1

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Seahorses (Genus Hippocampus) are rarely reported as prey items. Their low population numbers, their ability to blend with the environment and their low palatability are the features making them an unsuitable option for predators. Five individuals of the Patagonian seahorse Hippocampus patagonicus were found in the stomach of a single narrownose smooth-hound shark Mustelus schmitti from a sample of 959 stomachs analyzed. This rare record in a single stomach out of hundreds analyzed suggests that these individuals might have clustered in a group which was detected by the opportunistic M. schmitti.

Based on data gathered during interviews with local artisanal fishermen and seahorses collected by them, Hippocampus patagonicus Piacentino & Luzzatto 2004 was found to occur in coastal waters of Monte Hermoso, southwestern Buenos Aires province, Argentina. High catches spanning several years and the identification of specimens confirm the presence of H. patagonicus in Monte Hermoso.

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