Hippocampus capensis, Boulenger 1900

Sara A. Lourie, Riley A. Pollom & Sarah J. Foster, 2016, A global revision of the Seahorses Hippocampus Rafinesque 1810 (Actinopterygii: Syngnathiformes): Taxonomy and biogeography with recommendations for further research, Zootaxa 4146 (1), pp. 1-66 : 19-20

H. capensis Boulenger 1900

English common names. Knysna Seahorse , Cape seahorse. Holotype. BMNH 1898.12 .17.3.

Type locality. Knysna Harbour , South Africa. Synonyms. None .

Distribution. South Africa (Knysna, Keurbooms, and Swartvlei Estuaries).

Notes. Meristics and genetic evidence ( Teske et al. 2005, 2007a; BOLD 2016) suggest that H. capensis is a member of the H. kuda complex. We conservatively retain its status as a distinct species based on the distinctive morphological and ecological characteristics it exhibits and the substantial threats facing these populations ( Lockyear et al. 2006; Teske et al. 2007b). The species is the only seahorse known to exclusively inhabit estuaries, and the populations within these estuaries all exhibit genetic differences that warrant them being treated as separate management units ( Teske et al. 2003). See the Discussion for further explanation.