A Different Kind of Dragon

The leafy sea dragon (Phycodurus eques) is endemic to the waters of southern Australia and are closely related to seahorses and pipefish.  The leafy sea dragon is the South Australian Marine Emblem and they get their name from the leaf-like appendages on their bodies. They resemble pieces of seaweed, which makes them difficult for predators to find in their natural habitat of kelp and seaweed. Leafies are generally brown to yellow in body color with spectacular olive-tinted appendages. As an adult they can reach a total length of 35 centimetres.

The leafy sea dragon sucks up its prey using its long pipe-like snout and small mouth. Its    favourite food is mysid shrimps. Being slow moving, they rely heavily on camouflage for  survival, but also have long sharp spines along the side of the body. They are also able to change    colour to some degree. So much so that they blend in very well with their habitat. For novice divers Leafy sea dragons are extremely difficult to locate and many swim past thinking this majestic creature is just a piece of weed. With experience they are more easily spotted and once found are amazing to watch as their movements mimic the swaying kelp. They steer and turn by moving the tiny, transparent fins along the side of the head and move through the    water using the dorsal fins along the spine. Sea dragons have eyes that move independently of one another and the pattern around the eye is unique to each sea dragon. This pattern is used to identify individual animals.

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