[3] This pygmy seahorse is tiny—usually less than 2 centimetres (0.79 in) in size—and lives exclusively on gorgonian sea-fans, as its coloration and physical features expertly mimic the coral for camouflage.

[5] The pygmy seahorse measure less than one inch in length (2 cm), and is naturally well camouflaged and extremely difficult to see amongst the gorgonian coral it lives on.

Other distinctive pygmy seahorse characteristics include a fleshy head and body, a very short snout, and a long, prehensile tail.

The pygmy seahorse is found in coastal areas ranging from southern Japan and Indonesia to northern Australia and New Caledonia on reefs and slopes at a depth of 10–40 metres (33–131 ft).

With such limited data available, there is an urgent need for further research to be conducted on its biology, ecology, habitat, abundance and distribution, before its status can be properly assessed and conservation measures implemented accordingly.

[11] This article incorporates text from the ARKive fact-file "Hippocampus bargibanti" under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License and the GFDL.