Conducting detailed research on tail of seahorse could help researchers develop more flexible robots. Researchers recently examined the skeletal structure of the seahorse, one of the ocean's spectacular sea creatures that belong to Hippocampus genus. The best place to spot the sea creatures are tropical and temperature waters. The seahorse devours small crustaceans and larval fish by camouflaging.

Researchers say that tail of the seahorse could pave the way for developing more flexible robots. An international team of researchers meticulously analyzed skeletal structure of the seahorse, finding that the tail of the seahorse could be useful for robotic applications.

An assistant professor in the College of Engineering at Oregon State University, Ross Hatton, said prehensile tail of the seahorse has evolved over many millions of years. The tail has nothing do with creatures' motility, but it surely helps the animal grasp chunks of coral reef and seaweed. It is very important for the seahorse to attain stability as it waits for the food to float by.

Hatton said the tail has great flexibility; it bends and turns with ease and returns to its original shape. During courtship, pairs of seahorse often clutch each other's tails.

"Nature makes things just strong enough not to break, and then flexible enough to do a wide range of tasks. That's why we can learn a lot from animals that will inspire the next generations of robotics", stated Hatton.

The researchers brought into use sophisticated computer models and 3D printed prototypes to hold comparisons between the square structure of the seahorse tail and the cylindrical tail configuration seen in other animals.

Hatton and colleagues said the seahorses appear to stay protected from predators because of the tail's toughness and ability to deform.

Better understanding of the tail of the seahorse paves the way for better robotics applications, said Hatton.