Weedy sea dragon

Taxobox
name = Weedy sea dragon
status = NT | status_system = IUCN3.1
trend = unknown

---

image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Syngnathiformes
familia = Syngnathidae
genus = "Phyllopteryx"
genus_authority = Swainson, 1839
species = "P. taeniolatus"
binomial = "Phyllopteryx taeniolatus"
binomial_authority = (Lacepède, 1804)
range_

range_map_width = 240px
range_map_caption = "Phyllopteryx taeniolatus" range.

The weedy sea dragon or common sea dragon ("Phyllopteryx taeniolatus") is a marine fish related to the seahorse. It is the only member of the genus "Phyllopteryx". It is found in water 3 to 50 m deep around the southern coastline of Australia, approximately between Port Stephens, New South Wales and Geraldton, Western Australia, as well as around Tasmania. Weedy sea dragons are named for the weed-like projections on their bodies that camouflage them as they move among the seaweed beds where they are usually found.

The male weedy sea dragons carry the eggs after mating. Sea dragons, sea horses and pipe fish are the only species where the male carries the eggs.

Weedy sea dragons can reach 45 cm in length. They feed on tiny crustaceans and other zooplankton, which are sucked into the end of their tube-like snout.

The male of the species carries the fertilized eggs, attached to his tail. Mating in captivity is rare since researchers have yet to understand what biological or environmental factors trigger them to reproduce. In captivity the survival rate for weedy sea dragons is about 60%. [ [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080612/ap_on_fe_st/odd_pregnant_sea_dragon;_ylt=Ai4shyJwX7oWQpALeF7f0WSs0NUE] ]

A more cryptic relative of the weedy sea dragon is the leafy sea dragon. In the November 2006 issue of "National Geographic" magazine, marine biologist Greg Rouse is reported as investigating the DNA variation of the two sea dragon species across their ranges.

The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California and Melbourne Aquarium in Australia are the only facilities in the world to have successfully bred weedy sea dragons in captivity. As of June 2008, the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta has a pregnant sea dragon, which is expected to give birth in early-mid July. [cite web |url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080613/ap_on_fe_st/odd_pregnant_sea_dragon_4 |title= Endangered sea dragon at Ga. aquarium pregnant]

The weedy sea dragon is the marine emblem of the State of Victoria. [ [http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/nrencm.nsf/childdocs/-2594CB2F087CB6D84A2567CA0081791F-F5BA27244232485DCA256CC40012D597?open DSE Victoria] ]

References

*

External links

* [http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/students/focus/seadrag.htm Australian Museum Online] - Leafy and Weedy Seadragons
* [http://users.bigpond.net.au/je.st/seadragons/index.html Leafy Seadragons and Weedy Seadragons]
* [http://www.botanybaywatch.com.au/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=Marine.WeedySeaDragon Weedy Sea Dragon Monitoring Program in Botany Bay]
* [http://www.yankalilla.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=199 Leafy Sea Dragon Festival]
* [http://www.abyss.com.au/dragon.html Weedy Sea Dragon]
* [http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=9XvhMyxy6eI Youtube Male Weedy Seadragon with eggs]
* [http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=KHydEwlu5pw Youtube Weedy Seadragon]
* [http://splashingtime.com/seadragon/2.html Male Weedy Sea Dragon carrying eggs]