Common Seahorse vs Willow Shield

Hippocampus kuda compared with Pluteus salicinus

Key Differences

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

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Seahorse	Willow Shield
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)	Pluteaceae
Genus	Amphiprion (Clownfish)	Pluteus
Species	Hippocampus kuda	Pluteus salicinus

Conservation Status

Common Seahorse

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Willow Shield

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Seahorse	Willow Shield
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.

Willow Shield

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Common Seahorse

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