Common Seahorse vs Shield Dapperling

Hippocampus kuda compared with Lepiota clypeolaria

Key Differences

• Common Seahorse is Vulnerable while Shield Dapperling is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Seahorse	Shield Dapperling
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fish)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Perciformes (Perch-like Fish)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Pomacentridae (Clownfish & Damselfish)	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Amphiprion (Clownfish)	Lepiota
Species	Hippocampus kuda	Lepiota clypeolaria

Conservation Status

Common Seahorse

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Shield Dapperling

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Seahorse	Shield Dapperling
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	5 years	—
Average Length	17 cm	—
Average Weight	10 g	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Seahorse

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 7 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, and Philippines. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Shield Dapperling

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Brazil, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Common Seahorse

The common seahorse is found in tropical and temperate waters. Males carry and deliver the babies.