Dollzis: Weedy Sea Dragon Genus And Species

Weedy Sea Dragon Genus And Species

This sea dragon is also known as the common sea dragon. The weedy seadragon is a common seadragon species found along the coast of southern australia.

Leafy Seadragon

A related species is the weedy seadragon which is multicoloured and grows weed like fins but is smaller than the leafy seadragon.

Weedy sea dragon genus and species. Two species are recognised. Another unique feature are the small circular gill openings covering tufted gills very unlike the crescent shaped gill openings and ridged gills of most fish species. Three species there are just three known species of sea dragons the leafy sea dragon the weedy or common sea dragon and the ruby sea dragon.

The common seadragon is in the subfamily syngnathinae which contains all pipefish. It differs from the seahorse in appearance form of locomotion and its inability to coil or grasp things with its tail. The leafy sea dragon is the master of camouflage and being able to hide itself so easily amongst the plants means that the leafy sea dragon is rarely eaten despite having numerous potential predators in the surrounding water.

Most are cryptically coloured and often have dermal appendages providing further camouflage. The weedy sea dragon is the only species belonging to the phyllopteryx genus. All three species are found exclusively off the coast of southern australia.

Common seadragon or weedy seadragon phyllopteryx taeniolatus lacepède 1804 ruby seadragon phyllopteryx dewysea stiller wilson rouse 2015. It has a limited habitat consisting of areas of australia and tasmania. This area is composed of small cup like indentations which each hold a single egg laid there by the female.

It is most closely related to the other member of its genus the ruby seadragon phyllopteryx dewysea and also the leafy seadragon phycodurus eques. All are partially or completely encased in bony rings or dermal plates. There are two different species of sea dragon which are the leafy sea dragon and the weedy sea dragon.

Although both sea dragon species have a similar body shape and size they are very different in appearance. In these southern locales the weedy sea dragon is receiving a lot of attention as it is the only species of its genus. The weedy sea dragon is a specific species of sea dwelling animal that is currently a protected species.

It is found in different states of australia. Mostly long slender fishes with a small mouth at the end of a long tubular snout although some species are deep bodied. This fish species is a close relative of the seahorse and the leafy sea dragon.

This colorful species has several leaf like appendages that allow it to camouflage with floating seaweed as it sucks up its small shrimp crustacean and zooplankton prey through its pipe like terminal mouth. The male sea dragon incubates the fertilized eggs in a specialized spongy textured brood patch on the ventral surface of his tail. The scientific name is phyllopteryx taeniolatus.

Closest living relatives sea dragons are closely related to pipefish another animal in the seahorse family.

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