Counting hyperelliptic curves

We find a closed formula for the number hyp(g) of hyperelliptic curves of genus g over a finite field k=Fq of odd characteristic. These numbers hyp(g) are expressed as a polynomial in q with integer coefficients that depend on g and the set of divisors of q−1 and q+1. As a by-product we obtain a closed formula for the number of self-dual curves of genus g. A hyperelliptic curve is defined to be self-dual if it is k-isomorphic to its own hyperelliptic twist.