Long-snouted Seahorse Hippocampus guttulatus

The Long-snouted Seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus) is one of two seahorse species recorded in British waters, distinguished from its shorter-snouted relative by the cirri – small skin filaments – along its head and body. It is associated with seagrass beds, maerl, and weedy, sheltered coastal habitats. In Suffolk, it is occasionally recorded, with the county’s estuaries, shallow inshore waters, and seagrass areas providing potential habitat. Both British seahorse species are fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, and any sighting should be reported to The Seahorse Trust’s national database. Seagrass restoration is important to the long-term prospects of this species in Suffolk waters. Image: © Kim Maidment, Flickr.

Find out more: Suffolk Wildlife Trust, iNaturalist, Marine Life Information Centre