December 2005 Guess the Fish Contest Answer & Winner This month's fish is a Lined Seahorse. Because seahorses can camouflage themselves by act and "dress," they take on numerous colors and often develop all manner of tricky appendages and helpful behaviors. They will grasp an object with their prehensile tail and swing and sway with the wave action so as to never give themselves away. Even with all their disguises, scientists have decided that there are really only three kinds in the Gulf of Mexico. One of them is the Lined Seahorse which we caught in early November in the nearshore waters south of Dauphin Island. The Lined Seahorse may approach about 15 cm. Unlike "regular" fishes, seahorses can't use their tail fins for propulsion. Instead, a few tiny fins on the back, belly, and anal area do the job. Not being fast really doesn't matter though because they will slyly sidle up to a living food morsel and with a sudden bolt of the head, slurp up the unsuspecting prey! The males are throughly modern dads who are great helpers when their babies are due. They actually carry the eggs in their belly pouches after the females put them there. Upon hatching, the stringy babies are expelled and immediately use their tails to grasp the nearest suitable object, often papa' s snout! This month's winner is Mary Anne Rambo