Facts About Leafy Seadragon

Facts About Leafy Seadragon

1. There are some 34 species of seahorses and seadragons in southern Australian waters, including the leafy seadragon and weedy seadragon. Seahorses have long been used as dried specimens for the tourist trade and Chinese medicine. 

2. This beautiful fish [ Phycodurus eques]is a member of the Sygnathidae family, which also includes sea horses and pipefish.

3. The leafy sea dragon is adorned with an array of leaf like appendages giving it an unmistakably 'leafy' appearance, which camouflages the dragon.

4. As sea dragons are very slow moving, camouflage is their primary defence against predators. 

5. The leafy 'hide' of the sea dragon is actually quite solid, making movement difficult.Instead, sea dragons rely upon their small ventral and dorsal fins for movement.

6. Sea dragons are able to change colour, much like their cousins the seahorse.

7. The leafy sea dragon popularly known as "leafies" is South Australia's marine emblem.

8. There are only two species of sea dragons found in the world!  The leafy and the weedy sea dragon are both found in Australian waters.

9. They live close to the shore in areas containing seagrass.  Sea dragons rely upon their ability to hide amongst floating beds of seagrass or kelp for protection from predators.

10. While they cannot move very quickly, sea dragons are fierce predators of sea lice which they suck up through their mouths.