Parturition and Morphological Development of Larvae and Juvenile in Hippocampus kuda from Korea

ABSTRACT

The newborn, Hippocampus kuda larvae were 6.97–8.81, standard length (SL) mm (mean 7.89 mm) and mouth and anuse were open. Dorsal fin rays 15–18 and pectoral fin-rays were counted 8 and had 10–11+21 myotomes, body's bony plate ring being developed strongly in the central axis of myotomes part. 4 days after bearing, the SL was 7.02–9.47 mm (mean 8.24 mm) and nostrils began to open. 12 days after bearing, larvae attained to 8.91–11.2 SL mm (mean 10.0 mm). From this time, their unique predation habit appeared. 21 days bearing, larvae attained to 12.1–14.8 SL mm (mean 13.4 mm) the and thorn of back was enlarged among the plate formed around ring. 41 days bearing, seahorses attained to 17.1–17.8 SL mm (mean 17.4 mm) and the number of body's bony plate ring of the top of rings trunk was 11 and on the tail of them was 33–36, similar to figure of adult.