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Sea World scientists put seahorse under the microscope
There are approximately 8 000 animals of more than 500 species under Saambr's care.
A SEAHORSE’S exoskeleton was among the sights at UShaka Sea World this week as scientists took X-rays of the sea creatures to check on their health.
The South African Association for Marine Biological Research (Saambr), has its own veterinary practice at uShaka Sea World which specialises in aquatic animal health. Saambr took to their Facebook page to share a radiograph taken at their veterinary clinic of an endemic Knysna seahorse. This shows the healthy size and inflation of the creature’s swimbladder. Saambr also shared a radiograph taken by Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections in the United States to show different seahorse species with the males’ brood pouches clearly visible.
According to Saambr spokesperson Ann Kunz, there are approximately 8 000 animals of more than 500 species under Saambr’s care.
“The veterinary team sometimes need to perform diagnostics on peculiar and wonderful animals such as the strange-looking, mystical seahorse. Seahorses are indeed fish and easily recognised by their horse-shaped heads, upright posture, long, prehensile tails and bony plates covering their bodies,” said Kunz.
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“Their scientific name, Hippocampus, literally means horse (hippos) and sea monster (campus) in Greek. They are, in fact, not sea monsters at all, but very sensitive little creatures that are known to be prone to various health issues. On a few occasions, clinical examinations on seahorses require radiography, which means taking X-rays. Our veterinary practice is fully equipped to do such checks, and taking a radiograph of a seahorse is an interesting task indeed,” she continued.
During the X-ray process, the seahorse is sedated to reduce any stress.
“The bony plates of the seahorse’s exoskeleton make it an ideal animal to X-ray, and morphological differences between different seahorse species can be clearly identified on such radiographs. The development of baby seahorses in the males’ brood pouch can also be assessed, as well as the size and condition of the swim bladder which sometimes can be infected and will then present with a reduced volume of air, seen as ‘reduced area of radiolucency’,” explained Kunz.
Kuns added that diagnostic tools, such as radiography, give the animal-health team the ability to identify health issues and treatment.
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