Muricella：侏儒王国！

Following our series oncoral host to famous critter subject，这是另一个重要的，每个人都在圣杯清单上占有一席之地！
The host of the King of all critters, the Pygmy Seahorse,Hippocampus bargibanti。

Hippocampus bargibanti is the Holy Grail of all UW photographer !

This little cutie lives exclusively on Sea Fan (Gorgonia) of the genusMuricella。这个故事是在1969年在新喀里多尼亚努米亚的公共水族馆收集海洋迷时发现了这是由乔治·讨价还价发现的。

雄性H. bargibanti在封闭的息肉中，黄色muricella paplectara。

Male H. bargibanti in semi opened polyps yellow Muricella paraplectana So much Better !

Sea fans are members of the Soft Coral family Octocorallia, and their characteristic is to have 8 tentacles symmetry on their polyps. Each polyp has 8 tentacles. One other characteristic of this time the Gorgonia genus, is to have an intern skeleton, made of a very particular material called Gorgonin, this material, of black color, give the strength to the coral and the flexibility at the same time.
Thus allowing the coral to resist high flow environment, which are usually the place with the most abundant food. The Sea Fan usually bend into the current up to a certain velocity, then resist. It usually takes up food from the back of the polyps, that are leaning into the flow.

A paire of H. bargibanti in a red Muricella plectana.

MuricellaSea Fans, often net-like, are quite easy to tell apart, but will require close examination. They are quite big, up to a meter diameter, they grow in 1 plan, perpendicular to the current. They exist into 2 mainly coloration which is Red and Yellow.
他们的息肉很大，无法完全缩回骨骼，解释了它上的颠簸，也无法在海马上缩回。仔细检查了稳定骨骼的众多硬化物，在树枝和息肉上非常明显。其中一些是有色的。
Even the seahorse has them included in its coloration. Branches and polyps are almost to a millimeter thick. Once you have learned to spot them a couple of time, you will recognize them from meters away.

The Red Pink Version of Muricella plectana, photo taken in Raja Empat by Giancarlo Mazarese

The yellow color variety of Muricella paraplectana, taken in Raja Empat. Photos from Giancalo Mazarese

粉红色版本来自该物种M. plectana, and the yellow version is usuallyfromM. paraplectana,但是它们也可以生活在其他物种中Muricella。对未经训练的物种几乎不可能识别物种水平，但是识别该属并不是太复杂了。
The less than 2,4 cm long pygmy seahorse can be very tricky to spot among the Sea Fan, so some you need to know some tips if you want to fasten the painful process of going through the entire Sea Fan.

Note the tail around the branch of this gorgeous Male Yellow Pygmy Seahorse

Face shots are the most sought after! Getting both eyes can be challenging!

Start with a small Sea Fan that is known to have Seahorses in it. Trying your luck on a several meter wide Sea Fan will usually waste a dive.
It’s also easier on a Sea Fan that has its polyps closed, if the polyps are open, then it’s a lot bushier and the Seahorse is perfectly camouflaged and hidden in it. but please do not poke the coral to have it to close down its polyps.
尝试将尾巴卷曲在树枝上。