Weedy Seadragon
Phyllopteryx taeniolatus
- Class
- Ray-finned fish
- Rarity
- Rare
- Observations
- 3,085
- Most observed in
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Conservation
- Vulnerable
Description
The common seadragon or weedy seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) is a marine fish of the order Syngnathiformes, which also includes the similar pipefishes, seahorses, and trumpetfishes among other species. Adult common seadragons are a reddish colour, with yellow and purple striped markings; they have small, leaf-like appendages that resemble kelp or seaweed fronds, providing camouflage, as well as a number of short spines for protection. As with seahorses and the other syngnathids, the seadragon has a similarly tubular snout and a fused, toothless jaw into which it captures small…
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article “Common seadragon”.