Feeding Strategy of the Wild Korean Seahorse (Hippocampus haema)

Abstract

The feeding and spawning grounds for seahorses have been lost due to nationwide coastal developments in South Korea. However, little information on the feeding ecology of the Korean seahorse (Hippocampus haema) is currently available. The main objective in this study was to understand the feeding strategy of H. haema on the basis of DNA analysis of the contents of the guts. This is the first study on the feeding ecology of H. haema. Crustaceans were found to be major prey for H. haema in this study. Among the 12 identified species, arthropods were predominantly observed as potential prey of H. haema in this study. The Caprella sp. Was detected in all summer specimens followed by the Ianiropsis sp., whereas isopods were dominant, and amphipods accounted for a small proportion in winter specimens. According to the results in this study, there appears to be a seasonal shift in the major prey of H. haema. Moreover, a potential change in the habitats for adults was further discussed. Since this is a pilot study, further studies should be conducted for a better understanding of the feeding ecology of H. haema.