About the Leafy Seadragon

Sea dragons are some of the most ornately camouflaged creatures on the planet. They have leaf shaped appendages designed to  blend on with the seaweed and kelp formations they live amongst. Seadragons usually live a solitary life, but males and females pair up to breed. The Leafy Seadragon can get up nto 18 inches in length. They feed on small invertebrates, including shrimps and other zooplankton, and larval fishes. They can live up to 10 years. 

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Syngnathiformes
Family: Syngnathidae                           
Genus: Phycodurus
Species: eques

Location & Habitat

Seadragons live among the boulders, kelp and seagrasses of Australia’s temperate reefs.

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Human Impact

They are frequently taken by divers seeking to keep them as pets. Pollution and habitat loss have also hurt their numbers, and they are currently listed as near threatened.

Interesting Facts

1. The tail of a male leafy sea dragon will turn bright yellow when he is ready to mate
2. leafy and weedy sea dragons are closely related to seahorses and pipefish
3. Seadragon males are responsible for childbearing
   

Sources

• http://intenseindividuals.com/2011/12/02/ladies-and-gentlemen-the-leafy-seadragon/

• http://www.divegallery.com/Leafy_profile.htm

• https://www.flickr.com/photos/xzisht/5172639772/

• http://www.neaq.org/animals_and_exhibits/animals/sea_dragons/

• http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/sea-dragon/