The Magical World of Seahorses

The Magical World of Seahorses

The Magical World of Seahorses

Dimitris Pafras

Sakis Lazarides

The Magical World of Seahorses

title

the Magical World of Seahorses

ΟR i G i NA l title i N GR ee K

O Μαγικός Κόσμος των Ιππόκαμπων

t e X t

Dimitris Pafras and Sakis lazarides

Ph OtOGRAP hy Sakis lazarides

t RANS l Ati ON

Dimitris Pafras and Sakis lazarides

COPyR i G ht© 2024

Dimitris Pafras and Sakis lazarides

fi RS t PR i N t i N e NG li S h

Athens, April 2024

i SBN 978-618-205-579-3

Vatatzi 55, 114 73 Athens Τel.: +30210 6431108 e- MA il: ocelotos@ocelotos.eu www.ocelotos.eu

this publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of the author.

The wild beauty of Cape Greco at the South-Eastern end of Cyprus

Dimitris Pafras, writer, was born in 1999 in Athens, Greece. He grew up in Amarinthos, a coastal town in Evia. In 2022 he graduated from the Department of Agriculture, Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment of the University of Thessaly. The degree of this department is recognized as an Integrated Master’s degree. As a student he gained laboratory knowledge, skills, and experience in field sampling (mainly of benthic organisms). In the same year he started a master’s degree in “Mediterranean Aquaculture” at the same department. He has been involved in scuba diving for more than five years and holds the title “Divemaster PADI”. Since 2023 he is a PhD candidate at the University of Thessaly, where he is conducting research on pearl oysters. He has authored the book “The world of the sea”, which has been translated into English under the title “The world of the sea”. During his military service, he graduated from the School of Meteorology of the National Meteorological Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Greece. Meteorology School of the National Meteorological Service, which is part of the Ministry of National Defence/General Staff of the Air Force. He has attended numerous international conferences-seminars on topics such as ichthyology, sustainability, legislation, technology, economics, environment, diving (scuba and free diving), product processing and meteorology. Finally, he has given more than a hundred interviews to the press and to TV and radio channels on various issues concerning marine life.

Sakis Lazarides, photographer, and co-writer was born in the coastal town of Famagusta in Cyprus in 1962 and from 1984 until today he lives in Norway, apart from all the summers he spends in Cyprus and Greece. He loved the sea and its underwater world from an early age, starting diving with the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) at the Limassol Nautical Club in 1977, when he was only fifteen years old, and remains an active diver to this day. Later in his career he studied Education, Spanish and Psychology at the Swedish universities of Gothenburg and Umeå achieving the degrees of B.Ed., M.A., and University Diploma in Social Sciences (Psychology). He currently works as a teacher at private colleges in Norway. Sakis Lazarides is a passionate and renowned underwater photographer who has dedicated decades exploring the underwater world and documenting its amazing marine life. He has received several distinctions in underwater photography competitions and his underwater images have been published in hundreds of scientific, diving and photography articles including the National Geographic and the WWF.

The crystal-clear sea of Cape Greco is home to all three species of seahorses.

Introduction

Seahorses are undoubtedly one of the most enigmatic, captivating and alluring creatures of the sea. As we focus on their magical world, we embark on a thrilling journey, where we will introduce these unique and curious creatures through their physical characteristics, their remarkable evolutionary history, and the beauty of the species found in the Mediterranean Sea. At first glance, seahorses seem almost mythical, resembling small upright standing

horses of the sea. The seahorse, a creature of charm and ecological importance, invites us to dive deep into the magical world of marine life. The classification of seahorse species has been problematic for many years. Originally, seahorses were classified as insects or molluscs and even Linnaeus (Swedish botanist and zoologist, father of taxonomy who lived in the 18 century) classified them as amphibians.

Seahorses belong to the family Syngnathidae, which includes seahorses and pipefish. Fossils of marine organisms that resemble sea horses date back to about 30 million years ago. This suggests that their lineage is ancient. They are classified as bony fish, characterized by the presence of a bony skeleton. Seahorses are found throughout the world, generally showing a preference for sheltered and shallow coastal, tropical, and temperate waters. Seahorses are oviparous and show a complete “reversal” of paternal and maternal roles. They are one of the few animal species in which the males of the species take on the role of gestation. Their bodies are covered with bony plates and have no scales. They show different colors, including shades of white, yellow, orange, purple, brown and black, which help them to blend in with the environment.

The seahorses face several threats, including climate change, pollution, and destructive fishing practices.

The marine flora that grows on rocky substrates, provides support and safety to the seahorses so that they are not carried away by the sea currents. It also offers shelter and camouflage. Depth: 7 metres. Protaras, Cyprus.

1.1 Nomenclature and classification

There are more than 46 species of seahorses, found mainly in shallow, tropical and temperate waters around the world.

Seahorses belong to the family Syngnathidae, which includes other species such as pipefish and sea dragons. Within the family Syngnathidae, seahorses are classified into the genus Hippocampus. The classification of seahorses:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Osteichthyes

Order: Sygnathiformes

Family: Syngnathidae

Genus Species: Hippocampus spp.

In Greek mythology, they appear as mythical creatures (half horse and half fish) pulling Poseidon’s chariot (Hippocampus, Poseidon’s horse), symbolizing his power and dominance over the oceans. The myths surrounding seahorses begin thousands of years ago and continue through the Middle Ages to the present day. A symbol of power and protection. Both the Greeks and the Romans associ-

ated seahorses with strength, protection, and safe passage across the seas. Sailors often decorated their ships with seahorse symbols for good luck and a successful voyage. In countries such as the Philippines and Malaysia, dried seahorses are hung in homes as talismans to ward off evil spirits and bring prosperity.

Beneath the emerald Eastern Mediterranean Sea, a wonderful world, full of fascinating, mysterious, and charming creatures, is hiding. Among the numerous and amazing inhabitants of the underwater world, a mythical and unique fish in the animal kingdom stands out. It has a horse-like head, captivating eyes, charming snout, body in upright position and a tail that it uses as a tool. This distinctive fish that enchants anyone who meets it, is the seahorse. Surrounded by mythical magic and charm, this alluring creature is admired by everyone.

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