Biology

Hippocampus satomiae congregates at night in groups of 3–5 individuals on small seafans, at depths of 15–20 m depth on the bottom below reef overhangs. During the day H. satomiae are difficult to find, even in areas where they are known to occur. At dawn individuals become active. At birth, the young are jet–black, about 3 mm in height and shaped similarly to the adults. They settle on the bottom near to their place of birth (Onishi, pers. comm.). The holotype, collected in October, was pregnant and carrying approximately eight young (Ref. 79848).