Background/Objectives: Seahorses are found worldwide in shallow coastal tropical and temperate seas. It is commercially used as medicinal purposes and they are increasing the demand 20 % per year. The low fecundity and structural patterns are leads to limited production of seahorses. The reproductive approach of seahorses, the female deposit their eggs into the male brood pouch where fertilization takes place.
Methods/Statistical Analysis: The samples after collection were preserved in 5% formalin and later dissected the brood pouches with ventral side near the base of the abdominal and middle region of tail were carefully opened and were collected the young ones.
Findings: BPSI is increased corresponding to the development of embryos and decreased after the release of the young ones. The young ones ranged from 650 to 5750 in the size range 160 -299 mm (SL). Hippocampus kelloggi was found to accommodate an average of 2696 young ones in its brood pouch.
Application/Improvements: In 1995, it was conservatively estimated that as many as 20 million seahorses were caught for their use in Traditional Medicine (TM) and this trade is thought to be unsustainable. Besides, anthropogenic, industrial, domestic and other disturbances to the habitat caused severe damage to seahorse population. The decline of these species is great concern in the light of global exploitation of seahorses. The brood size aspect must be showed to know the production and survival of the seahorses. This is lead to avoid over exploitation of seahorses. Hence, the present study has been carried out the brood size of seahorse H. kelloggi.
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