The Curious World of Seahorses

The Life and Lore of a Marine Marvel

Till Hein, Renée Von Paschen

• Publisher: Greystone Books
• Year: 2023
• Print ISBN: 9781771649889
• eBook ISBN: 9781771649896
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Ecology
• Index: Biological Sciences

With the whimsy and heart of The Soul of an Octopus and the surprising details of the very best science writing, The Curious World of Seahorses brilliantly captures the ocean’s most charismatic and mysterious inhabitant.

"The seahorse has captured the human imagination for millennia... Till Hein explains the amazing qualities of these magical creatures."—Explorers Journal

"Not just a compelling read, but also a love letter to the strangest creatures of the ocean—seahorses."—Frauke Bagusche, author of The Blue Wonder

"When God created the seahorse," says one marine biologist, "he may have had one too many."

Of all the creatures in the ocean, there are none more charming and magical—or more strange—than the seahorses. Masters of disguise, graceful dancers, and romantic lovers, seahorses are found not only in the seagrass meadows and mangroves of the world, but also throughout the annals of human history and culture—surfacing everywhere from chess and Greek mythology to Disney movies like The Little Mermaid and Pokémon games.

Equipped with a pouch like a kangaroo, a long snout like an anteater, and complete with a crown unique as a human fingerprint, the seahorse defies easy categorization. The only fish to swim in an upright position, seahorses are terrible swimmers, but they make up for it with an incredible talent for holding onto seagrass or coral. They have no stomach or teeth—only intestines. Most seahorses are monogamous, and meet with their life partner every few weeks to perform a dance that can last up to nine hours. The most unique aspect of the seahorse is their reproductive cycle, as it is the male of the species who becomes pregnant.

In this entertaining and informative book, science writer Till Hein shares the most tantalizing findings from the world of seahorses, and the role they have played in human culture. He reveals their secrets, from their intriguing biological features and hunting strategy to their use in medicine throughout history, their appearances in Greek and Celtic mythology, and even the medieval belief that they descended from dragons.

Endlessly fascinating and charmingly approachable, The Curious World of Seahorses will captivate any reader looking to learn more about one of the most incredible creatures on Earth.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Prologue: The Great Individualists of the Seas
• 1. Seahorse Whisperer: The Aquarium Keeper in Germany
• 2. Rainbow Creatures: Why Tail Fins Are Overrated
• 3. How It All Began: Finding the Primeval Seahorse
• 4. Bringing Up Baby: Stages of Life, Favorite Hangouts, and Mobility
• 5. How Much Horsepower Does Poseidon’s Chariot Have?: Myth and Popular Culture
• 6. Lazybones Are Good Hunters: The Stealth Trick
• 7. Chatting: Why Seahorses Can’t Keep Their Mouths Shut
• 8. Underwater Ballet: Love, Sex, and Partnership
• 9. William Is in Labor Again: The Mystery of Male Pregnancy
• 10. What Makes a Man a Man?: Seahorses and Emancipation
• 11. Taxonomic Jungle: How Many Seahorse Species Are There?
• 12. My Friend the Seahorse: Aquarium Keeping
• 13. Viagra With Fins: The Seahorse as a Remedy
• 14. Learning From Seahorses: Robotics & Co.
• 15. Terminal Trawl?: The Human Threat
• 16. To the Refuge!: Protection
• 17. Workhorses: Seahorse Power to End the Crisis?
• 18. Of Giants and Dwarfs: A Guide to the Coolest Horses of the Sea
• Further Reading
• Special Thanks
• Index
• Copyright Page