‘Pygmy’ sea creature found holding onto reef in South Africa. It’s a new species

Off the coast of South Africa, a “pygmy” sea creature latched onto the coral reef with its tail. Its “cryptic nature” and small size generally helped it go unnoticed — until some keen-eyed scuba divers found it.

The bumpy animal turned out to be a new species.

Scientists donned scuba gear and plunged into the blue waters of Sodwana Bay in 2017 and 2018 to survey marine life , according to a study published Sept. 6 in the peer-reviewed journal Ichthyology and Herpetology.

During the dives, researchers noticed some small seahorse-like fish holding on to the reef, the study said. They eventually managed to capture one of these animals and, after taking a closer look at it, realized they’d discovered a new species: Cylix nkosi, or the Sodwana pygmy pipehorse.

Pipehorses are a “strange group of fishes” belonging “to the same broad family as seahorses, pipefishes and seadragons,” researchers said in a news release shared with McClatchy News. Their unique characteristics include “pregnant fathers, prehensile grasping tails and eyes that are more reminiscent of a chameleon than a fish.”

Sodwana pygmy pipehorses are small, reaching less than 2 inches in length, the study said. They have “slender” bodies with numerous ridges and a prehensile tail. Their “large” heads have a “crown-like” bump on top. Males have a brood pouch for raising their young.

Photos show the new species, which generally looks like a seahorse, just smaller and with its head at a different angle.

Other photos, shared on X by Fish in the News , show the color variation among Sodwana pygmy pipehorses. One has a bright orange-red color. Another is “mustard yellow.” Others are light or dark brown.

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Sodwana pygmy pipehorses live on warm coral reefs between depths of about 45 to 160 feet, the study said. They have a “cryptic nature” and were typically seen holding onto sponges, corals or other reef materials.

Researchers said they named the new species after the Zulu word “nkosi,” or “chief,” “due to the crown-like nature” of the bony bump on its head. Its common name refers to the Sodwana Bay area where it was first discovered.

So far, Sodwana pygmy pipehorses have been found at two bays in KwaZulu-Natal, a coastal province in eastern South Africa bordering Eswatini, Lesotho and Mozambique, the study said.

The new species was identified by its DNA, head shape, pattern of body ridges, brood pouch and other subtle physical features.

The research team included Graham Short, Richard Smith, David Harasti and Louw Claassens.

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