Weedy sea dragon
| Weedy Seadragon Conservation status: Lower risk (cd) | ||||||||||||||
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| Phyllopteryx taeniolatus (Lacepède, 1804) |
The Weedy Sea Dragon or Common Sea Dragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) is a marine fish related to the seahorse. They occur in water 3 to 50 meters deep around the southern coastline of Australia, approximately between Port Stephens, NSW and Geraldton, WA, as well as in Tasmania. Weedy sea dragons are named for the weed-like projections on their bodies, which serve to camouflage them as they move among the seaweed beds where they are usually found.
Weedy sea dragons reach up to 45 cm in length. They feed on tiny crustacea and other zooplankton, which are sucked into the end of their tube-like snout.
A more cryptic relative of the Weedy sea dragon is the Leafy sea dragon.
External links
Categories: Fish | Australian animals