It isn’t the first time Dr Richard Smith has discovered a new marine species – including the African continent’s first pygmy seahorse – but he describes the pygmy pipehorse he photographed in South Africa’s popular diving destination Sodwana Bay as “a tiny wonder”.
The diminutive fish “shines a new spotlight on Africa’s rich, but often overlooked, miniscule marine biodiversity”, says the UK diver who, with South African marine biologist Dr Louw Claassens and other scientists from the IUCN Seahorse, Pipefish & Seadragon Specialist Group (SPS SG), has now described and named the rare creature.
The pipefish has been given the name Cylix nkosi, with nkosi meaning ‘king’ or ‘chief’ in the local Nguni language. The crown-like bony structure above its eyes was felt to give it a regal appearance.
The Sodwana pygmy pipehorse grows no longer than 5cm and is part of the Syngnathidae family that includes seahorses, pipefishes and seadragons, but it’s unusual location and distinguishing features make it a “miniature seahorse with a twist”, says Dr Smith. Its closest relative, Cylix tupareomanaia, is found more than 12,000km away in New Zealand.
The pipefish was spotted clinging to a sponge on 2 Mile Reef at a depth of about 22m with the help of local diver Christo van Jaarsveld. It was classified by taxonomist Graham Short of the Australian Museum and California Academy of Sciences, and the team’s study has just been published in Ichthyology & Herpetology.
“Finding a species like this has challenged us to look deeper into the biodiversity of the Indian Ocean,” says Dr Smith. “The feeling is that this is exciting frontier territory for the macroscopic nature community – there are certainly many more wondrous discoveries to be made here.”
It was in 2020 that the SPS SG members identified the South African Hippocampus nalu, the first pygmy seahorse ever found in African waters. But both species and the entire Syngnathidae group are considered increasingly vulnerable to human activities, especially from the effects of climate change and destructive bottom-trawling.
Dr Smith is a professional underwater photographer, the author of The World Beneath: The Life And Times Of Unknown Sea Creatures And Coral Reefs, and pygmy seahorse focal point for the SPS SG.
This global authority, which includes 43 international experts who provide scientific and technical guidance to governments and conservation bodies, is managed by Project Seahorse.
“As we celebrate this remarkable find, it serves as yet another reminder to protect the delicate balance of our oceans before these fragile and previously unknown species vanish without a trace,” says Dr Smith.
Also on Divernet: Shooting sensational Siladen, Seahorse discovery like ‘finding kangaroo in Norway’, ‘Japan pig’ named as seventh pygmy
