{{Short description|Species of fish}} {{Speciesbox | name = Softcoral seahorse | status = DD | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name = iucn/> | status2 = CITES_A2 | status2_system = CITES | status2_ref = <ref>{{Cite web|title=Appendices {{!}} CITES|url=https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php|access-date=2022-01-14|website=cites.org}}</ref> | taxon = Hippocampus debelius | authority = M. F. Gomon & Kuiter, 2009 }}
'''''Hippocampus debelius''''', commonly known as the '''softcoral seahorse''', is a species of marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. It is known from only two specimens collected from the Gulf of Suez in the Red Sea, at depths of {{convert|15-30|m|ft}}.<ref name=fb>{{cite journal | author1 = Gomon, M.F. | author2 = R.H. Kuiter | name-list-style = amp | year = 2009 | title = Two new pygmy seahorses (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Hippocampus) from the Indo-West Pacific | journal = Aqua Int. J. Ichthyol. | volume = 15 | issue =1 | pages = 37–44}}</ref><ref name=iucn>{{cite journal | author1 = Ouyang, L. | author2 = Pollom, R. | year = 2017 | title = ''Hippocampus debelius'' | journal = The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species | volume = 2017 | page = e.T47728610A47728833 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T47728610A47728833.en | doi-access = free }}</ref> Individuals were found associated with soft corals. Although little is known of this species, it is expected to feed on crustaceans, similar to other seahorses. It is also expected to be ovoviviparous, with males carrying eggs in a brood pouch before giving birth to live young.<ref name=iucn/>
==Identification== Individuals collected were around {{convert|2.4|cm|in}} in length. They have a medium snout with a bulbous tip, a low, angular coronet, and long slender spines on the head, trunk and tail. Spines have dark brown or black tips.<ref name=fb/>
==Naming== The specific name honors the Frankfurt am Main born German naturalist Helmut Debelius who is the author of several books on marine life, although he started his working life as a policeman.<ref name = bemon>{{cite web | url = http://www.bemon.loven.gu.se/petymol.d.html | title = Biographical Etymology of Marine Organism Names. D | accessdate = 19 May 2018 | publisher = Hans G. Hansson}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== *[http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=398432 WoRMS] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20180317175447/https://www.iseahorse.org/ iSeahorse] *[https://iucn-seahorse.org/ IUCN Seahorse, Pipefish & Stickleback Specialist Group]
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debelius Category:Fish described in 2009
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