1. Marine Biology Presentation Aubrey Orullian
The Leafy Sea dragon
Marine Biology Presentation
Aubrey Orullian

2. Phycodurus eques: the Leafy Sea Dragon
Family
Phycodurus eques: the Leafy Sea Dragon
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Syngnathiformes
Family: Syngnathidae
Genus: Phycodurus
Belong to the same family as the sea horse and the pipefish

3. Location Found ONLY along southern Australia
Therefore it is Endemic to that area
Great Australian Bight and Rocky Reefs

4. Apperance They have a very bony plated body (no scales)
The pectoral fins are located on the neck, and a dorsal fin runs along the sea dragon's back
Can grow up to 18 inches or 30 cm long
Made to look like the seaweed in their habitat in order to protect themselves from their predators such as large fish
They are actually weak swimmers and this makes them vulnerable to predators and hunters
They have a tail that cannot be coiled, unlike sea horses

5. Differences in Appearance
There are 2 types of sea dragons, the leafy and the weedy
The difference is mostly in appearance and color, the weedy sea dragons have less appendages and are more red in color whereas the leafy sea dragon is a green to yellow color.
The Leafy sea dragon can be slightly red, but it depends on how deep in the water it is found, the deeper it is found, the more red it gets

6. Climate/Habitat The Leafy Sea Dragon lives in warm water temperatures
55-67* Fahrenheit
And in waters that are about 30 meters deep
They like to live in rocky reefs, sand patches, sea grass meadows and seaweed beds

8. Diet
Feed on shrimp, krill, zooplankton and larval fishes (baby fishes)
Due to lack of teeth, they suck their prey through their mouth tunnel (do not have a stomach so they eat constantly)
The Leafy sea dragon can eat up to thousands of prey a day

9. Life and Reproduction Cycle
Up to 7-10 years
At 2 years old, they
are fully grown and can
breed
They live solitary lives but pair up only to mate
From October to March is breeding season
The female lays up to 300 eggs that the male carries around in a patch by his tail for about 6 to 8 weeks

10. Human Impact On the IUCN red list, they are found Near Threatened
Are not commonly captured for the illegal medicine uses, but are captured for museum exhibits and illegal pet trading
Loss of habitat is the highest cause of reduction
Caused by urban and agricultural run-off, industrial pollution, etc.

11. Fun Facts
Also known as Glauert’s sea dragon, name comes from Ludwig Glauert who was a famous Australian paleontologist, herpetologist and museum curator from the early 1900’s
The Leafy sea dragon is the official marine emblem of the state of South Australia
It is very hard to notice in it’s habitat

12. Conservation
Australia is very keen on conserving this species (many scientists believe that it is decreasing in size) so one thing they will do is when you scuba dive in that area, they will ask you if you have seen sightings of the species
Many laws and standards have been set to protect the Leafy sea dragon from divers’ harassment and hunters
Once a year, one brooding male may be collected and kept in safe location (for example, the Monterey Bay Aquarium)
The hatchling are sent back to the ocean soon after hatching

13. References Page: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/17096/0