The IUCN SSC Seahorse, Pipefish & Seadragon Specialist Group (SPS SG) is dedicated to the conservation of seahorses, pipefishes, pipehorses and seadragons — as well as related species such as trumpetfishes, cornetfishes, and snipefishes
About
As the IUCN global authority on these animals — which are found all over the world, many of them threatened — the SPS SG works with scientists, conservationists, governments and other groups to ensure that wild populations are healthy and well-managed.
Resources
On this site you’ll find information on the work of our Specialist Group, including species profiles, conservation assessments, conservation actions to protect threatened species, and other valuable resources such as bibliographies and information about how you can get involved.
Current IUCN Red List Statuses
Below are the current IUCN Red List conservation statuses by family, for each of the five families under our Specialist Group’s remit. Click here for a full explanation of IUCN Red List categories. A brief key is provided below the table.
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Syngnathidae Seahorses, pipefishes, pipehorses, seadragons, and sea Muppets |
4 | 10 | 16 | 7 | 172 | 73 | 24 | └ Seahorses | 1 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 9 | 2 | └ Pipefishes | 3 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 151 | 55 | 19 | └ Pipehorses | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 | └ Seadragons | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | └ Sea Muppets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | Solenostomidae Ghost pipefishes |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | Aulostomidae Trumpetfishes |
0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Fistulariidae Cornetfishes |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Centriscidae Bellowsfishes, snipefishes, and razorfishes |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 2 |
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| Extinct | Extinct in the Wild |
Critically Endangered |
Endangered | Vulnerable | Near Threatened |
Least Concern |
Data Deficient |
Not Evaluated |
A note on ‘Data Deficient’ species: Species that are assessed as Data Deficient are deemed to have insufficient information known about them to carry out a proper conservation assessment. Although such species are not assessed as threatened, we may find out that they in fact are, once enough data is obtained.
Photo credits:
Banner image of Hedgehog seahorse (Hippocampus spinosissimus) © Luc Eeckhaut / Guylian Seahorses of the World.
Long-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus) and rainbow wrasse (Coris julis), Croatia, Plavnik © Lars Reichenbach / Guylian Seahorses of the World.
Network pipefish (Corythoichthys flavofasciatus) © Richard Smith / Ocean Realm Images
[Page updated Sept 2026]