Seahorse found near Kristineberg
A seahorse was recently discovered during a fish collection exercise at the Kristineberg Centre. This marks only the third recorded seahorse sighting in Swedish waters and the first within a research context.
Elena Tamarit Castro, PhD student at Kristineberg and the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Gothenburg, made the discovery while her team was collecting fish in a eelgrass meadow near the research station in Fiskebäckskil. The species is most likely a short-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus hippocampus).
“I was very surprised but recognised it immediately, having seen them in the Mediterranean while diving in seagrass meadows. In my doctoral project, I have observed nearly 100,000 fish, comparing them with historical data, and this is the first Swedish seahorse observed within a research project.”
Elena Tamarit Castro studies how climate change affects fish in coastal areas, and this observation fits well into her project.
“Seahorses are common in the Mediterranean where the water is warmer. As temperatures rise along the Swedish coast, they might become more common here too. But other species could disappear. We are currently investigating how well fish in eelgrass meadows cope with heatwaves, and these results may help us understand why certain species are declining.”
May have been here for a long time
Three documented seahorse sightings have been made since last summer when the first was photographed off Bovallstrand. On Thursday, 27 July 2024, another was photographed near Rossö, south of Strömstad, as reported in Strömstad Tidning.
Following these discoveries, several engaged citizens have come forward, reporting sightings from their childhoods. These are currently being compiled by Charlotta Kvarnemo, Professor at the Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences. These historical observations suggest that seahorses may have long been a natural part of Sweden’s marine fauna, unnoticed by both biologists and the public.
"Although individual seahorses have been spotted before, sightings have become more frequent in recent years. It’s possible that we are seeing seahorses in Sweden because the water has become warmer, allowing the species to survive here. If that is the case, it’s likely that we will see even more seahorses in Swedish waters in the future," says Charlotta Kvarnemo.
Report your findings
Have you seen something exciting in the sea? By reporting your findings, you can help researchers. Report by registering on SLU:s Artportal. You can also report via the mobile-friendly website Rappen.
There are two species of seahorses in Europe: the short-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus hippocampus) and the long-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus). They are similar in appearance but can be distinguished by the length of their snouts and the number of fin rays. The northern range of both species is believed to extend to the British Isles.
