Leafy seadragons

THE OFFICIAL MARINE EMBLEM OF the state of South Australia is a creature that you might associate with myth, but leafy seadragons really do exist.

- JO PRICE

They are less fearsome than their name would suggest - beautiful in shape and colour, they seemingly drift through the ocean. These bony fish are endemic to the coastal waters off south and east Australia and are hidden in plain sight - their camouflaging appendages give them a plant-like appearance. These unique and fascinating marine creatures suck up their food and, like seahorses, the males are responsible for childbearing.

What are their physical characteristics?

They may be fish but leafy seadragons don't have scales. Instead, their rigid bodies are covered with bony plates, with long spines along the sides of their bodies that may be used defensively. Their heads are small with long, thin snouts, and their eyes can move independently of one another. Their fins are transparent and their tails, which cannot be coiled, are about half their length. Leafy seadragons are usually yellowish to greenish-brown in colour.

How do they camouflage themselves?

The leaf-like appendages on the head, body and tail not only give these fish their common name but also enable them to resemble floating seaweed and blend into their habitat, protecting them from predators. Leafy seadragons are also able to change colour to match their surroundings.

How do they move?