mad-as-a-marine-biologist:

Estuary Seahorse (Hippocampus kuda) by Samantha Craven

Greeks and Romans believed the seahorse was an attribute of the sea god Poseidon/Neptune, and the seahorse was considered a symbol of strength and power. Europeans believed that the seahorse carried the souls of deceased sailors to the underworld - giving them safe passage and protection until they met their soul’s destination.

Back to modern times - this species is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN and all seahorse species are protected from international trade by CITES. 

loveandsealife:

Sea Horse at Shedd by Paula~Koala on Flickr.