Poseidon's steed: the story of seahorses, from myth to reality

For thousands of years people have been fascinated by seahorses, those strange little fish that seem to be an amalgam of other parts and as fantastic as a mythological beast. Marine biologist Scales had been diving for 14 years before she finally saw one, for these iconic and universally known creatures are actually small and fairly timid. But their unique shape has inspired numerous myths and influenced artists ancient and modern, and (unfortunately) they are a mainstay of Chinese herbal medicine. Scales follows the seahorse in all its manifestations in this delightful book, entrancing readers with tales of plundered treasure, depictions of seahorses in cultures ranging from the Aborigines to the Picts and the Romans, and the history of the ornamental aquarium. But it is the little fish itself that is the most intriguing, the stay-out feeder on zooplankton, camouflaged as it clings to a support with its prehensile tail, in a monogamous relationship in which the male raises the young in a pouch on his belly. This is one charming book about one charming fish.--Bent, Nancy Copyright 2009 Booklist

This is a true natural history book, covering all aspects of the seahorse's involvement in the world: mythology, history, fisheries, aquaria, world ocean health. Scales is a marine biologist, and her fascination with her subject (she learned to scuba dive in order to observe this remarkable creature) shines through in her easy-to-read style and the way she uses the seahorse as a hook to discuss broader subjects, such as the role of seahorses in world mythology or the part they play in ocean conservation efforts, both as poster fish and canary species. Verdict The cute seahorse on the cover and the clever title will help attract readers to a library display, and the text itself will make them want to read more. An extensive bibliography invites further exploration. This is sure to appeal to both teens and adult readers interested in the natural world.-Margaret Rioux, MBL/WHOI Lib., Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst., MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A window into the life of an enticing marine animal "so strange and yet so perfectly pleasing." Humans have considered the seahorse something special for millennia, writes marine biologist and BBC radio host Scales in this fawning yet mostly professional investigation. Perhaps 6,000 years ago, Aborigines in Australia were painting them on their cave walls; Minoans were carving them onto their stone identification stamps 1,000 years later. Phoenicians and Egyptians put them on their sarcophagi. In Greek mythology, they were saddled by the Nereids, and they pulled Poseidon's golden chariot. Contemporary marine science has given us a glimpse into their unusual makeup. Elementally, " [s]eahorses look the way they do because it works," writes Scales. Despites the advances of DNA testing, "[n]ot only does a question mark hover where the seahorses first began, but we also don't know for sure when they evolved." Strangely, the author later writes, "though we no longer need puzzle overwhere they came from." Scales occasionally overwrites"Beneath a thousand-year of darkness hid a vast treasure trove, and unimaginable Aladdin's cave"but her strong suit is biology. She effectively examines the seahorse's chameleon qualities, as well as the phenomenon of the males giving birththe only such instance in the animal kingdom. The author is also adept at delineating the seahorse's alleged healing powers, and she offers a fascinating study in the history of aquariums and the pursuit of "queer fish." Scales then addresses seahorse farmingespecially as it relates to their endangered status, caused mainly by trawling and fishing with explosivesand she argues strongly for their preservation. The writing is uneven, but the author makes a solid case for a rare and wondrous creature. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

For thousands of years people have been fascinated by seahorses, those strange little fish that seem to be an amalgam of other parts and as fantastic as a mythological beast. Marine biologist Scales had been diving for 14 years before she finally saw one, for these iconic and universally known creatures are actually small and fairly timid. But their unique shape has inspired numerous myths and influenced artists ancient and modern, and (unfortunately) they are a mainstay of Chinese herbal medicine. Scales follows the seahorse in all its manifestations in this delightful book, entrancing readers with tales of plundered treasure, depictions of seahorses in cultures ranging from the Aborigines to the Picts and the Romans, and the history of the ornamental aquarium. But it is the little fish itself that is the most intriguing, the stay-out feeder on zooplankton, camouflaged as it clings to a support with its prehensile tail, in a monogamous relationship in which the male raises the young in a pouch on his belly. This is one charming book about one charming fish. Copyright 2009 Booklist Reviews.

This is a true natural history book, covering all aspects of the seahorse's involvement in the world: mythology, history, fisheries, aquaria, world ocean health. Scales is a marine biologist, and her fascination with her subject (she learned to scuba dive in order to observe this remarkable creature) shines through in her easy-to-read style and the way she uses the seahorse as a hook to discuss broader subjects, such as the role of seahorses in world mythology or the part they play in ocean conservation efforts, both as poster fish and canary species. VERDICT The cute seahorse on the cover and the clever title will help attract readers to a library display, and the text itself will make them want to read more. An extensive bibliography invites further exploration. This is sure to appeal to both teens and adult readers interested in the natural world.—Margaret Rioux, MBL/WHOI Lib., Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst., MA