Biology of Hippocampus patagonicus (Syngnathidae) in Brazilian waters. A species threatened with extinction, with suggestions for the conservation of seahorses in Brazil

Abstract

Specimens of Hippocampus patagonicus obtained in the bycatch of trawling in the states of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and Rio de Janeiro (RJ) were collected in 2012 (n = 199) and 2014 (n = 157), respectively. Mean height of females of reproductive age in RS was 8.89 ± 1.9 cm, with the fecundity of 366 ± 195.8 eggs per clutch, and for males of reproductive age, height was 8.79 ± 1.86 cm and weight 2.3 ± 1.67 g, with 404 ± 99 embryos at each gestation. In RJ, height was 9.69 ± 1.05 cm and weight 2.9 ± 0.9 g, with the fecundity of 277 ± 95.06 eggs per clutch, and for males, height was 10.06 ± 1.02 cm and weight 3.68 ± 1.18 g, with the fecundity of 156.38 ± 66 embryos at each gestation. The equations obtained from the weight (W) to height (H) ratio were: W = 0.002 H3.182, R2= 0.947 (RS males); W = 0.004 H2.914, R2= 0.949 (RS females); W = 0.0050 H2.838, R2= 0.793 (RJ males); W = 0.014 H2.355, R2= 0.733 (RJ females). RS females produced more eggs (P = 0.023), and males incubated more embryos (P = 0.000) than those of RJ. The mean height of brood pouch formation in males was 4.69 ± 0.48 cm, 95% CI [4.53; 4.86], while the mean height at first sexual maturity was 8.34 cm (95% CI [7.481; 9.046]). Alternative strategies need to be developed for the conservation of H. patagonicus in Brazil.