Leafy sea dragon biography
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Leafy Seadragon
SPECIES IN DETAIL
Leafy Seadragon
Phycodurus eques
CONSERVATION STATUS:Least concern
CLIMATE CHANGE:Uncertain
At the Aquarium
Leafy seadragons are not on exhibit at the Aquarium.
Geographic Distribution
Coastal waters off the states of Western Australia, South Australia, and Victoria in southern Australia.
Habitat
These seadragons inhabit temperate coastal waters of southern Australia where water temperatures are seasonally between 13 to 19o C (55 to 67o F). They live among rocky reefs, sand patches close to the reefs, seaweed beds, and seagrass meadows. Populations may fluctuate seasonally in response to food availability and spawning season. Leafy seadragons can be funnen from the surface to depths of 98 feet (30 meters).
Physical Characteristics
Members of the Sygnathidae family have fused jaws and rigid bodies. The scaleless body of seadragons is covered is covered in hard bony plates. They have a small head with a long, thin pipe-like sno
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Common seadragon
Species of fish
Not to be confused with Leafy seadragon.
The common seadragon or weedy seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) is a marinefish of the order Syngnathiformes, which also includes the similar pipefishes, seahorses, and trumpetfishes among other species. Adult common seadragons are a reddish colour, with yellow and purple striped markings; they have small, leaf-like appendages that resemble kelp or seaweed fronds, providing camouflage, as well as a number of short spines for protection.[3][4] As with seahorses and the other syngnathids, the seadragon has a similarly tubular snout and a fused, toothless jaw into which it captures small invertebrate prey at lightning speed. Males have narrower bodies and are darker than females.[4] Seadragons have a long dorsal fin along the back and small pectoral fins on either side of the neck, which provide balance.[5] Weedy seadragons can reach 45 cm (18 in)
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Leafy seadragon
Species of fish
Not to be confused with Common seadragon.
The leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques) or Glauert's seadragon, is a marine fish. It is the only member of the genus Phycodurus in the family Syngnathidae, which includes seadragons, pipefish, and seahorses.[2]
It is found along the southern and western coasts of Australia. The name is derived from their appearance, with long leaf-like protrusions coming from all over the body. These protrusions are not used for propulsion; they serve only as camouflage. The leafy seadragon propels itself utilising a pair of pectoral fins on the sides of its neck and a dorsal fin on its back closer to the tail end. These small fins are almost completely transparent and difficult to see as they undulate minutely to move the creature sedately through the water, completing the illusion of floating seaweed.
Popularly known as "leafies", they are the marine emblem of the state of South Australia and a f