This female Barbour's seahorse has its head tucked and tail curled, as it swims horizontally. Its skin between rings is smooth and shiny, with spines that follow a regular pattern of alternating length. This species of seahorse is unfortunately becoming more popular in traditional Chinese medicines and the aquarium trade. Its distribution is limited to parts of the Philippines and Malaysia. One positive trend in the aquarium trade is the use of captive-bred species, including some seahorse varieties. Identification: Hippocampus barbouri