Field record · Actinopterygii
Hippocampus kuda · a source-backed example record for comparing structure, variation, environment, and representation.
Upright fish body, horse-like head, prehensile tail, bony trunk rings
Variation: Color and pattern can change with surroundings; body-ring and head characters are more useful than color alone.
Representation: Its familiar “horse” analogy is mnemonic, not classification. The atlas keeps analogy separate from anatomy.
Process / function synthesis: A ray-finned fish with a highly modified upright body plan and a prehensile tail used to hold substrates.
ADW supports ray-finned fish classification, coastal habitat, upright plated body, prehensile tail, and color change.
Trait chips are editorial retrieval labels for this universe. They are not a formal diagnostic key.
