H. erectus from Yucatan, Mexico, has a wide tolerance to thermal variation.
Acute exposure (~ 1 min) to 33–36 °C did not affect sea horse growth or survival.
Chronic exposure to 30 °C compared to 18 °C significantly reduced sea horse growth.
Comparative studies shed light on adaptive mechanisms responding to thermal variation.
Southernmost populations of H. erectus could be near their upper thermal limit.