Smallest seahorse in US waters might get endangered protection
09/05/2013 13:04
A species of seahorse that's just an inch tall, the smallest in U.S. waters, appears to warrant endangered protection, the U.S. said Thursday in kicking off a year-long review process.
Found in seagrass beds in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as in the Atlantic off Florida and the Caribbean, the dwarf seahorse caught the attention of the Center for Biological Diversity, a conservation group that petitioned for protection a year ago.
"The petition and information in our files present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned actions may be warranted," the National Marine Fisheries Service said in its decision.