The Amazing Pygmy Seahorse: Now You See Me…

If I stay stock still maybe they’ll just swim past.... ah, shoot.  This pygmy seahorse, seemingly caught in the act, has a few evolutionary tricks up its sleeve which allowed it to remain unknown and hidden from science until the 1970s.  First its size – tiny tiny tiny: it’s about two centimeters in length all told.  Next, its amazing camouflage – it just blends in with the local gorgonians (related to corals) so well that you can blink and you will miss it – which is probably the idea, let’s face it (even though I am not sure how many denizens of the deep actually blink).  Over at the Ark in Space today is a fascinating glimpse, together with a great set of photographs, in to the life of these tiny masters of disguise.