The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) recently busted an international smuggling racket engaged in the illegal trade of dried seahorses at Bengaluru Airport.
- Seahorses were seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, in conjunction with the Wildlife Act, 1972.
About Seahorses:
- Seahorses are small marine fishes (2-35 CM) with a distinct horse-like head, prehensile tail, independently moving eyes, and a brood pouch.
- They belong to Genus Hippocampus.
- Appearance: They have long, tubular snouts and small, toothless mouths, with bodies covered with consecutive rings of bony plates.
- Habitat: Found in shallow coastal waters including Coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, and estuaries.
- Reproduction: After courtship, the female deposits multiple eggs into the male’s brood pouch (reverse pregnancy), where fertilization occurs.
- Male trait: The male regulates the pouch environment, nourishing the developing embryos and releases fully-formed seahorses after incubation.
- Diet and Feeding: Their primary diet includes Plankton and fish larvae, sucked through their tubular snouts.
- Unique Behaviour: Seahorses swim upright and use a soft-rayed dorsal fin to move forward and pectoral fins for manoeuvring.
- Conservation Status:
- IUCN Red List: Several seahorse species are listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered.
- Wildlife Act, 1972: All species of seahorses in India are classified under Schedule-IÂ
Species Examples:
- Longsnout Seahorse and Northern Seahorse in the Caribbean region of the Western Atlantic.
- Common Seahorse in the Mediterranean Sea and warm Atlantic areas.
- Yellow Seahorse in the Indo-Pacific.
- Pacific Seahorse along the eastern Pacific coast from California to Peru.
About Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI):
- It is the apex anti-smuggling agency of India, working under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs, Ministry of Finance.
- DRI was constituted in 1957 and exercises the powers specified in certain sections of the Customs Act, 1962.
- It is tasked with detecting and curbing smuggling of contraband like drug trafficking and illicit international trade in wildlife.
- It also performs in commercial frauds related to international trade and evasion of Customs duty.
Ref: Source
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Frequently Asked Question:
Why are seahorses named after horses?
Seahorses are small marine fishes characterized by their horse-like head, prehensile tail, independently moving eyes, and a brood pouch.
Does male seahorse give birth to young ones?
The male fertilizes the eggs within the pouch and regulates the pouch environment to nourish the embryos. After incubation, the male expels fully-formed seahorses into the water.
What is the diet of seahorses?
Seahorses primarily feed on plankton and fish larvae, which they suck through their tubular snouts.