Citizen science yields first records of Hippocampus japapigu and Hippocampus denise (Syngnathidae) from Taiwan: A hotspot for pygmy seahorse diversity

Abstract

Relatively very little is known about pygmy seahorses, and even basic information regarding their distributions is largely inconsistent and often based on unofficial reports. However, monitoring marine diversity, particularly for small and cryptic species, such as pygmy seahorses, can be both costly and time consuming. In such cases, the use of citizen science can offer an effective tool for addressing knowledge gaps caused by a lack of biodiversity-related data. Scuba divers and underwater photographers were engaged through social media in order to investigate pygmy seahorse diversity in Taiwan. Using this approach five species of pygmy seahorses were identified, including two new records for Taiwan: Hippocampus denise and Hippocampus japapigu, the latter of which is the first record of the species from outside of Japan. These new records mark Taiwan as one of the world’s pygmy seahorse diversity hotspots, matching that of Japan and Indonesia, as well as demonstrating the value of citizen science for marine biodiversity monitoring, particularly for small cryptic species.