New record of the Japanese Seahorse Hippocampus mohnikei Bleeker, 1853 (Syngnathiformes: Syngnathidae) in Hong Kong waters

A new record of Hippocampus mohnikei Bleeker, 1853 was confirmed in Hong Kong through morphological and molecular identification. It is highly possible that there is an established population of H. mohnikei in Hong Kong due to continuous sightings by citizen scientists in the past nine years. The record is significant from a biogeographical perspective as it connects the distributions of known populations in northern China and Japan to those spanning Thailand to India. This further affirms the status of Hong Kong as a hotspot for seahorse biodiversity and conservation in China.

Automated summary

A new record of Hippocampus mohnikei was confirmed in Hong Kong through morphological and molecular identification. This finding suggests the existence of an established population in Hong Kong, connecting previously known populations in northern China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. This highlights the importance of Hong Kong as a hotspot for seahorse biodiversity and conservation in China.