The female transfers eggs to the male's brood pouch where they are fertilized, protected and regulated, and provided with oxygen and nourishment. After several weeks the male goes into labour to release his independent young. The same males and female seahorses mate only with each other, and reinforce their pair bond with daily greeting dances. Early each morning the female moves to her partner, both brighten and they dance together for six minutes before separating for the rest of the day. Greetings continue throughout the male's pregnancy and are then elaborated into nine hour courtships.
Seahorses obviously recognise each other as individuals because they ignore non partners.
Surprisingly males compete more to obtain a partner than females do, even though the result is pregnancy. Throwing a lifeline to this endangered species, the first Whitley Award enabled Amanda to set up new marine reserves and survey the state of seahorses across South East Asia, from China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand to the Philippines. Visit Amanda Vincent's home page .