Seahorse
Photo Credit: Dr Richard Smith / Twitter

Dr Richard Smith from the UK has been working in South Africa and found a new species of seahorse; the seahorse is a cute little thing!

 

Sodwana Bay, South Africa (22 May 2020) – Meet the Hippocampus Nalu also known as the African Pygmy Seahorse, a new species of pygmy seahorse in South Africa. The discovery is a first of its kind in Africa! Dr Richard Smith from the United Kingdom was the man behind the discovery. He and fellow South African researchers, recently published their findings on the ZooKeys zoology journal.

The new discovery has already been featured on National Geographic. It was a shock to the team to find a pygmy seahorse so far from the coral triangle. The Coral Triangle is a roughly triangular area of the tropical marine waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste. There is one species that has also been found in Japan waters.

This little seahorse has accomplished many firsts already! It is a first of its kind to be found anywhere in the Indian Ocean or the African continent. According to Dr Smith, it would be like finding a kangaroo in Norway.

The original finding was made by dive instructor Savannah Nalu Olivier in Sodwana Bay in 2017. After the finding, research began, and this led to its official discovery. Savannah was honoured by having the species named after her.

We may know a lot about the world but hardly everything. It is exciting to know that there are many discoveries still to be made! Take a look at the Hippocampus Nalu below.


Sources: Twitter / National Geographic
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens or share your good news with us by clicking here
Click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast, with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes that there’s good news all around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:
Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll hopefully leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

About the Author

Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy.

Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues, animal welfare and social upliftment. Outside of Good Things Guy, she is an avid reader and lover of tea.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *