1. Rafting has been proposed as a dispersive mechanism for some species of seahorses. Juvenile Hippocampus patagonicus rafting on the sea surface have been reported. This life stage has high mortality in nature due to ecological and environmental factors usually affecting juvenile planktonic teleosts (e.g. predation).
2. In this study, 50 juvenile seahorses were captured while rafting at the beginning of the reproductive season (December). They were grown out under a standard protocol in a recirculating aquaculture system for 120 days until they reached maturity.
3. During this period, only three seahorses died (6%). Mature seahorses were 65 ± 7 mm average height and showed variable coloration and pigmentation pattern (n = 47; 94%).
4. The availability of juvenile seahorses during the reproductive season and their high survival performance ex situ highlight the feasibility of developing protocols in which juvenile seahorses serve as a novel source of broodstock.

中文翻译：

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野生海马早期的异地生长：为受威胁的种群设想保护方案

1. 漂流已被提议作为某些海马物种的分散机制。据报道，幼年海马 patagonicus在海面上漂流。由于生态和环境因素通常影响幼年浮游硬骨鱼（例如捕食），这个生命阶段在自然界中具有很高的死亡率。
2. 在这项研究中，在繁殖季节（12 月）开始时，在漂流时捕获了 50 只幼海马。它们按照标准方案在循环水产养殖系统中生长 120 天，直到它们成熟。
3. 在此期间，只有 3 只海马死亡（6%）。成熟海马的平均高度为 65 ± 7 毫米，并显示出不同的着色和色素沉着模式（n =  47；94%）。
4. 幼海马在繁殖季节的可用性及其在异地的高生存性能突出了制定协议的可行性，其中幼海马作为亲鱼的新来源。