Seahorse identification guides

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Hippocampus kuda, the common seahorse.
Image by Laurence Richardson.

Identifying seahorses can be difficult, even for seasoned professionals. We recommend using one of the following identification guides.

  • ID guide book (PDF). Developed in collaboration with TRAFFIC North America, the Guide to the Identification of Seahorses includes detailed descriptions and images all species currently recognized by Project Seahorse, a leading authority on seahorses and their relatives. The guide can also be downloaded by individual species. It provides a straightforward methodology for identifying seahorses.
  • ID Guide for Large Seahorses in Southeast Asia (PDF). Our definitive, regularly updated guide. Includes diagrams and techniques for identifying Large Seahorses in Southeast Asia. Also available in Thai, Malay and Khmer/Cambodian.
  • Simplified ID guide for Southeast Asian Seahorses (PDF). A simplified version of our ID Guide for seahorses in southeast Asia. Ideal for printing and taking into the field. Also available in Bahasa Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Thai.
  • ID Guide for Eastern Atlantic Seahorses (PDF). Our definitive, regularly updated guide. Includes diagrams and techniques for identifying Eastern Atlantic species.
  • ID Guide for Seahorses of the Americas (PDF). Our definitive, regularly updated guide. Includes diagrams and techniques for identifying seahorses in the Americas. Please check back soon for other regional guides.