7 Friendly Aquatic Animals You Can Swim With In The Oceans.

      Swimming in the ocean is enjoyable, but for a truly unforgettable experience, travel a little further out to sea and interact with some of nature's nicest aquatic critters. Under the ocean's depths, there are some aquatic animals you may swim with safely.

Dolphins ( Delphinus )

     Dolphins are among the most intelligent creatures in the world, which may explain why they seem so ready to engage in playful interactions with us when we join them in the water. They're friendly, non-violent, and will go out of their way to approach anyone they see in the water. They're a rambunctious group that has been known to dry hump everything that moves, so be careful.

Humpback Whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae )

            We're going to go ahead and suggest that you should proceed at your own risk with this one. Although humpback whales are gentle and do not consume humans, they are so enormous that they may run you over before you even realize you're there. There are lots of diving trips that let you get up and personal with these huge fellas if you're interested.

Tiger Sharks ( Galeocerdo cuvier )

    Although you definitely wouldn't want to come face to face with a Great White without some protection, tiger sharks are rather amicable. They're known to be a touch too nosy at times, but a kindly shove will get them out of your personal space. Simply hand over your chum before they try to steal it from you without your permission.

Sea Turtles ( Chelonioidea )

        Sea turtles are critically endangered all around the planet, but if you're lucky, you might be able to volunteer for a rescue attempt that will help raise awareness about their predicament. They're quite safe to swim with, but it's best to restrict contact to a bare minimum so as not to disturb their natural surroundings. Join a volunteer trip and learn how you can help them flourish in the world.

Manta Rays ( Manta )

    Manta rays sightings are common in Tobago and the Grand Turks. Throughout the year, these strange-looking animals congregate in both regions and aren't hesitant to come up close to the coast to say "hi." They don't have stingers like Sting Rays. You shouldn't touch them though because their protective membranes can peel off if they come into contact with humans. They have to be concerned about us, not the other way around, so be courteous and refrain from petting them.

Hammerhead Sharks ( Sphyrnidae )

   Although hammerhead sharks appear vicious, they are rarely violent and like approaching humans underwater. You won't damage them if you feed and stroke them. If you're interested in trying hammerhead diving, the Galapagos and Cocos Islands are two of the best places to go. Even though they are nice, they are still predators, so make sure you go down with a qualified instructor.

Jellyfish ( Scyphozoa )

  There is a location where you can swim among jellyfish without getting stung. Jellyfish Lake is located in Palau's Rock Islands and is properly named. The jellyfish in this area have lost their stingers over the previous 12,000 years, making it safe to take a plunge. You can get up and personal with them, but you shouldn't touch them since you could damage them. All you need is a snorkel and you're ready to go!

The last thing I need to say is always love the environment, and protect the animals whenever you can then will love you too...!

Seahorse ( Hippocampus ) - Do seahorse male pregnant ..?

Phylum - Chordata
Class - Actinopterygii
Order - Syngnathiformes
Family - Syngnathidae
Subfamily - Hippocampinae
Genus - Hippocampus
Type species - Hippocampus heptagonus

               A seahorse (sometimes written sea-horse or sea horse) is a tiny marine fish belonging to the genus Hippocampus. The word "hippocampus" derives from the Ancient Greek hippókampos (ἱππόκαμπος), which is derived from the words hippos (ἵππος) "horse" and kámpos (κάμπος) "sea monster". Seahorses have a horse-like head and neck, as well as segmented bone armor, an erect stance, and a coiled prehensile tail. They belong to the Syngnathidae family, which also includes pipefish and seadragons (Phycodurus and Phyllopteryx). They are truly unique, and it's not simply because of their odd equine form. They are monogamous and mate for life, unlike most other fish. Even rarer, they are one of the few animal species on the planet in which the male carries the unborn offspring.

Habitat

Seahorses may be found in shallow tropical and temperate saltwater from around 45°S to 45°N all over the world. Seagrass beds, estuaries, coral reefs, and mangroves are all good places for them to live. From North America to South America, four species can be found in the Pacific seas. Hippocampus Erectus may be found from Nova Scotia to Uruguay in the Atlantic. The dwarf seahorse, H. zosterae, may be found in the Bahamas.

In European seas, like the Thames Estuary, colonies have been discovered.

The Mediterranean Sea is home to three species of seahorse: H. guttulatus (long-snouted seahorse), H. hippocampus (short-snouted seahorse), and H. fuscus (short-snouted seahorse) (the sea pony). Males keep within 1 m2 (10 sq ft) of habitat, whereas females range over about around a hundred times that.

With its prehensile tail, it clings to soft coral.

Size and details

Copyright ©- hippocampus-institute.org

    The size of a seahorse can range from 1.5 to 35.5 cm (5⁄8 to 14 in). Their horse looks, with bent necks, large snouted heads, and a unique trunk and tail, have earned them the moniker. They don't have scales, despite being bony fish, and instead, have thin skin stretched over a set of bone plates grouped in rings throughout their body. There are a different number of rings for each species. They are additionally protected from predators by their bony plates armor, and they no longer have ribs due to their outer skeletons. Seahorses swim upright, propelling themselves with their dorsal fin, a trait they share with their pipefish ancestors, who swim horizontally. The only other fish that swim vertically are razorfish. The pectoral fins, which are placed behind their eyes on each side of the head, are utilized for steering. They don't have the caudal fin that fish have. Their prehensile tail is made up of square-like rings that can only be opened under extraordinary circumstances. They are skilled at concealment and depending on their environment, they may develop and resorb spiky appendages.

A seahorse has a flexible, well-defined neck, which is unusual among fish. It also has a "coronet," a crown-like spine or horn on its head that is unique to each species.

Copyright ©- hippocampus-institute.org

Seahorses swim very slowly, fluttering a dorsal fin and steering using pectoral fins. H. zosterae (the dwarf seahorse) is the world's slowest-moving fish, having a peak speed of roughly 1.5 m (5 ft) per hour. They are most likely to be discovered resting with their prehensile tail curled around a stationary item because they are poor swimmers. They have lengthy snouts that they use to suck up food, and their eyes, like those of a chameleon, can move independently of one another.

Evolution

    Seahorses are highly modified pipefish, according to anatomical data corroborated by molecular, physical, and genetic evidence. Seahorses, on the other hand, have a relatively limited fossil record. Hippocampus guttulatus (though literature more frequently refers to them as Hippocampus ramulosus) specimens from the Marecchia River Formation of Rimini Province, Italy, dating back to the Lower Pliocene, around 3 million years ago, are the best known and researched fossils. The earliest known seahorse fossils are from the coprolitic stratum of Tunjice Hills, a middle Miocene lagerstätte in Slovenia going back around 13 million years, and are of two pipefish-like species, H. sarmaticus, and H. slovenicus.In 2016, a study published in Nature found the seahorse genome to be the most rapidly evolving fish genome studied so far

The emergence of seahorses from pipefish might have been a result of changes in prey capture biomechanics. The seahorse's peculiar position permits them to catch little shrimps from greater distances than the pipefish.

Reproduction

Romantic moments of the ocean

A pregnant Male seahorse

    A brood pouch is located on the ventral, or front-facing, side of the male seahorse's tail. When a female seahorse mates, she may lay up to 1,500 eggs in the male's pouch. The male carries the eggs for 9 to 45 days until the young are released into the water. The seahorses emerge fully grown but still extremely little. During the mating season, the male frequently mates again within hours or days.

Fertilization

    The brood pouch of Hippocampus kuda was observed to be open for only six seconds during fertilization when egg deposition took place. Seawater entered the pouch during this period, which is where the spermatozoa and eggs interact in a seawater environment. Sperm activation and motility are aided by the hyperosmotic environment. After the pouch is closed, the fertilization is said to be physiologically 'external' inside a physically 'internal' environment. This shielded mode of fertilization is thought to limit male sperm competition. This Protected fertilization has not been documented in the Syngnathidae (pipefishes and seahorses), but the lack of any distinct differences in the relationship between testes' size and body size suggests that pipefishes may have evolved mechanisms for more efficient fertilization with reduced sperm competition.

Pregnant male seahorse Diagram Copyright ©- Wikipedia 

Gestation

    After that, the fertilized eggs are lodged in the pouch wall and surrounded by spongy tissue. Prolactin, the hormone responsible for milk production in pregnant animals, is sent by the male to the eggs. The bag contains oxygen as well as a temperature-controlled incubator. Though the egg yolk provides food to the growing embryo, male sea horses secrete extra nutrients such as energy-rich lipids and calcium into the brood pouch, which are taken by the embryos, allowing them to establish their skeletal structure. Immunological protection, osmoregulation, gas exchange, and waste transport are also provided.

The eggs hatch in the pouch, where the water's salinity is controlled, preparing the neonates for life in the sea. During gestation, which takes two to four weeks in most species. His partner pays him daily visits for "morning greetings" 

Birth

For most species, the number of young discharged by the male seahorse ranges from 100 to 1000, although it can be as low as 5 for lesser species or as high as 2,500 for larger species. The male expels the fry with muscle contractions when they are ready to be birthed. He usually gives birth at night and is ready for the next batch of eggs. Seahorses, like virtually all other fish species, do not care for their young once they are born. Predators and ocean currents can sweep infants away from feeding sites or into temperatures that are too hot for their tiny bodies. Because just around 0.5 percent of newborns survive to adulthood, 

Because of the sheltered gestation, these survival rates are really rather high when compared to other fish. Making the process worth the great cost to the father. Most other fish's eggs are abandoned shortly after fertilization.

Monogamy

   Despite the fact that seahorses are not known to mate for life, several species establish pairs that endure at least the mating season. Mate faithfulness is stronger in certain animals than in others. Many seahorses, on the other hand, quickly switch partners when the occasion arises. H. abdominalis and H. breviceps have both been seen to reproduce in groups, with no clear partner preference. Because the mating behaviors of many more species have not been researched, it is unknown how many animals are monogamous or how long such ties persist.

It's a true love 

Monogamy among fish is not widespread, although it does appear to exist in a few cases. The mate-guarding theory might be an explanation in this circumstance. “Males remain with a single female because of ecological circumstances that make male parental care and preservation of children more advantageous,” according to this concept.

Diet and Feeding

      Seahorses feed with ease thanks to their long snouts. They must feed to continue to be alive since they are sluggish to process their food and have incredibly rudimentary digestive systems that lack a stomach. They must anchor themselves to seaweed, coral, or whatever else will keep the seahorse in place. Seahorses eat microscopic crustaceans that float in the water or crawl around the seafloor. Mysid shrimp and other tiny crustaceans are favorites, although various invertebrates and even larval fish have been spotted being eaten by certain seahorses. A study on seahorses was conducted.

Preparatory, expansive, and recuperation feeding stages are all unique in seahorses. During the preliminary phase, the seahorse approaches the prey slowly while standing upright, then flexes its head ventrally slowly. The seahorse takes its prey by simultaneously rising its head, extending the buccal cavity, and sucking in the prey item during the expansive phase. The seahorse's jaws, head, and hyoid apparatus all return to their previous locations during the recovery phase.

Extinction threats

   There is insufficient information to assess their risk of extinction because data on the sizes of various seahorse populations, as well as other issues such as how many seahorses die each year, how many are born, and how many are used for souvenirs, is lacking, and the risk of losing more seahorses remains a concern. Some species, like as H. paradoxus, the Paradoxical Seahorse, may already be extinct. Seahorse habitats are dwindling as coral reefs and seagrass meadows deteriorate. Furthermore, bycatch has a large cumulative effect on seahorses in many regions, with an estimated 37 million individuals being removed annually across 21 nations.