(Image credit: Graham Short)

The leafy seadragon is greenish to yellowish-brown with many thin dark-edged pale lines or bands across the body. They have large leaf-like appendages and long slender spines, and are extremely well camouflaged to resemble kelp and other macroalgae species.

The body has longitudinal white-ish stripes and the appendages may have darker splotches or spots. Males brood red eggs on the underside of the tail.

Length: Up to 43 cm

Habitat

Moderately exposed reef, sheltered bays, amongst seagrass, kelp and other macroalgae; 4-50 m depth

Log it

Log this species in all regions EXCEPT South Australia

Related links/info

Dragon Search reports are available at http://www.reefwatch.asn.au/reports.html#ds

Species names on the Redmap site are based on the Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota or CAAB (http://www.cmar.csiro.au/caab/). This is updated regularly and lists the approved common name, family, species name and more.

Redmap species descriptions were based, with permission, on the following resources:

Australian Marine Life: The Plants and Animals of Temperate Waters by G. J. Edgar, Revised Ed. (2008) Reed Books, Melbourne

Fishes of Australia’s Southern Coast, Edited by M. Gomon. D. Bray and R. Kuiter (2008) Reed Books, Melbourne

Find further information and images at FISHES OF AUSTRALIA http://www.fishesofaustralia.net.au/