Pygmy Seahorse and the Art of Camouflage

What are pygmy seahorses? As evident from the name, these are a group of tiny seahorses (<2 cm in height) found mostly in the Coral Triangle area of Southeast Asia. Consider how tiny they really are; a recently discovered one is reportedly no bigger than your fingernail. (Ref 1) This fact, along with their exceptional camouflage abilities, means that they manage to escape detection – not just by predators, but also by scientists and explorers. Spotting a pygmy seahorse on its host coral is like finding a needle in a haystack.