The common seadragon or weedy seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) is a marinefish related to the seahorses. Adult common seadragons are a reddish colour, with yellow and purple markings; they have small leaf-like appendages that resemble kelp fronds providing camouflage and a number of short spines for protection.[3][4] Males have narrower bodies and are darker than females.[4] Seadragons have a long dorsal fin along the back and small pectoral fins on either side of the neck, which provide balance.[5] Common seadragons can reach 45 cm (18 in) in length.
Common Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, from the Sketchbook of fishes by William Buelow Gould, 1832
HabitatEdit
The common seadragon inhabits coastal waters down to at least 50 m (160 ft) deep. It is associated with rocky reefs, seaweed beds, seagrass meadows and structures colonised by seaweed.[7]
BiologyEdit
These fish are slow-moving and rely on their camouflage as protection against predation; they drift in the water and with the leaf-like appendages resemble the swaying seaweed of their habitat.[4] They lack a prehensile tail that enables similar species to clasp and anchor themselves.
Individuals are observed either on their own or in pairs; feeding on tiny crustaceans and other zooplankton by sucking prey into their toothless mouths. As with seahorses, seadragon males are the sex that cares for the developing eggs. Females lay around 120 eggs onto the brood patch located on the underside of the males' tail. The eggs are fertilised and carried by the male for around a month before the hatchlings emerge.[4] The young are independent at birth, beginning to eat shortly after.[8] Common seadragons take about 28 months to reach sexual maturity, and may live for up to six years.[9]
Common Seadragon
Mating in captivity is relatively rare since researchers have yet to understand what biological or environmental factors trigger them to reproduce. The survival rate for young common seadragons is low in the wild, but it is about 60% in captivity.[10]
The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California and the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tennessee[11] in the US, and the Melbourne Aquarium in Melbourne, Australia[12] are among the few facilities in the world to have successfully bred common seadragons in captivity, though others occasionally report egg laying. In March 2012 the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, USA, announced a successful breeding event of common seadragons.[13] As of July 2012, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has also successfully bred and hatched out baby common seadragons on exhibit.[14] Most recently, Birch Aquarium successfully bred and hatched common seadragon fry in early 2023[15]
ThreatsEdit
The common seadragon is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List 2017 .[16] While the common seadragon is a desired species in the international aquarium trade, the volume of wild-caught individuals is small and therefore not currently a major threat. Instead, habitat loss and degradation due to human activities and pollution threaten common seadragons most.
The loss of suitable seagrass beds and loss of canopy seaweed from inshore rock reefs, coupled with natural history traits that make them poor dispersers, put the future of seadragon populations at risk. This species is not at present a victim of bycatch or a target of trade in traditional Chinese medicine, two activities which are currently a threat to many related seahorse and pipefish populations.[17][18]
ConservationEdit
Weedy Sea Dragon
It is illegal to take or export these species in most of the states within which they occur.[4] A database of seadragon sightings, known as 'Dragon Search' has been established with support from the Marine Life Society of South Australia Inc., ('Dragon Search' arose as the logical progression of a similar project initiated by the MLSSA, which was the first community group or indeed organisation of any type to adopt the common seadragon's close relative, the leafy seadragon, as part of its logo), the Marine and Coastal Community Network (MCCN), the Threatened Species Network (TSN) and the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), which encourages divers to report sightings.[4] Monitoring of populations may provide indications of local water quality and seadragons could also become an important 'flagship' species for the often-overlooked richness of the unique flora and fauna of Australia's south coast.[4]
Video clip
Captive breeding programs are in place for the weedy seadragon, headed up by Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium. The dragon has been difficult to breed in captivity, though in 2015, research observing the creatures in the wild and trying to replicate the conditions in captivity had researchers making changes to the light, water temperature and water flow proving to be key.
In December 2015, the Melbourne aquarium hatched eggs and the aquarium's weedy seadragon population significantly increased. The aquarium reported in March 2016 that 45 fry were still going strong, a 95% survival rate.[19]
Related speciesEdit
The common seadragon is in the subfamily Syngnathinae, which contains all pipefish. It is most closely related to the other member of its genus, the ruby seadragon (Phyllopteryx dewysea), and also the leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques). Haliichthys taeniophorus, sometimes referred to as the "ribboned seadragon" is not closely related (it does not form a true monophyletic clade with weedy and leafy seadragons).[20]
The common seadragon was previously the only member of its genus until the description of the ruby seadragon in 2015.[21]
Ongoing researchEdit
In the November 2006 issue of National Geographic magazine, marine biologist Greg Rouse is reported as investigating the DNA variation of the two seadragon species across their ranges.
^Pollom, R. (2017). "Phyllopteryx taeniolatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T17177A67624517. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T17177A67624517.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
^ abFroese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2018). "Phyllopteryx taeniolatus" in FishBase. February 2018 version.
^ abcdefg"Dragon Search". Retrieved 15 September 2017.
^. Archived from the original on 5 January 2006. Retrieved 18 February 2005.
^Dept of Sustainability and Environment Victoria > The marine faunal emblem for the State of Victoria 20 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2011
^. Archived from the original on 2 April 2003. Retrieved 18 February 2005.
^Morrison, S.; Storrie, A. (1999). Wonders of Western Waters: The Marine Life of South-Western Australia. CALM. p. 68. ISBN978-0-7309-6894-8.
^. Research. Sydney Institute of Marine Science. 9 September 2008. Archived from the original on 5 May 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
^"Endangered sea dragon at Ga. aquarium pregnant". Newsvine. Associated Press. 12 June 2008. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
^Melbourne Aquarium > Conservation 19 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 6 April 2012.
^Largest Brood of Weedy Sea Dragons Born at Georgia Aquarium 26 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine Georgia Aquarium press release, 29 March 2012. Accessed 15 August 2013.
^Weedy Sea Dragons Born At Monterey Bay Aquarium Retrieved 5 August 2012
^Martin-Smith, K. & Vincent, A. (2006): Exploitation and trade of Australian seahorses, pipehorses, sea dragons and pipefishes (Family Syngnathidae). Oryx, 40: 141-151.
^. Zoo Aquarium Association. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
^Smith, Bridie (3 March 2016). "Record season for captive-bred weedy sea dragons". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfix Media. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
^Wilson, N.G. & Rouse, G.W. (2010): Convergent camouflage and the non-monophyly of 'seadragons' (Syngnathidae:Teleostei): suggestions for a revised taxonomy of syngnathids. Zoologica Scripta, 39: 551-558.
^"Rare Ruby Seadragon uncovered in Western Australia". Western Australian Museum. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
Australian Museum Online - Leafy and Weedy Seadragons
Leafy Seadragons and Weedy Seadragons
Weedy Sea Dragon
Youtube Male Weedy Seadragon with eggs
Youtube Weedy Seadragon
BBC Weedy seadragon videos, news and facts
Fishes of Australia : Phyllopteryx taeniolatus
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October 20, 2023
common, seadragon, confused, with, leafy, seadragon, common, seadragon, weedy, seadragon, phyllopteryx, taeniolatus, marine, fish, related, seahorses, adult, common, seadragons, reddish, colour, with, yellow, purple, markings, they, have, small, leaf, like, ap. Not to be confused with Leafy seadragon The common seadragon or weedy seadragon Phyllopteryx taeniolatus is a marine fish related to the seahorses Adult common seadragons are a reddish colour with yellow and purple markings they have small leaf like appendages that resemble kelp fronds providing camouflage and a number of short spines for protection 3 4 Males have narrower bodies and are darker than females 4 Seadragons have a long dorsal fin along the back and small pectoral fins on either side of the neck which provide balance 5 Common seadragons can reach 45 cm 18 in in length Common seadragonPhyllopteryx taeniolatus in Cabbage Tree Bay Sydney AustraliaConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ActinopterygiiOrder SyngnathiformesFamily SyngnathidaeGenus PhyllopteryxSpecies P taeniolatusBinomial namePhyllopteryx taeniolatus Lacepede 1804 Phyllopteryx taeniolatus rangeSynonyms 2 Syngnatus taeniolatus Lacepede 1804 Syngnathus foliatus Shaw 1804 Phyllopteryx foliatus Shaw 1804 The common seadragon is the marine emblem of the Australian state of Victoria 6 Contents 1 Range 2 Habitat 3 Biology 4 Threats 5 Conservation 6 Related species 7 Ongoing research 8 References 9 External linksRange EditThe common seadragon is endemic to Australian waters of the Eastern Indian Ocean Southern Ocean and the South Western Pacific Ocean It can be found approximately between Port Stephens New South Wales and Geraldton Western Australia as well as Tasmania 2 nbsp Common Seadragon Phyllopteryx taeniolatus from the Sketchbook of fishes by William Buelow Gould 1832Habitat EditThe common seadragon inhabits coastal waters down to at least 50 m 160 ft deep It is associated with rocky reefs seaweed beds seagrass meadows and structures colonised by seaweed 7 Biology EditThese fish are slow moving and rely on their camouflage as protection against predation they drift in the water and with the leaf like appendages resemble the swaying seaweed of their habitat 4 They lack a prehensile tail that enables similar species to clasp and anchor themselves Individuals are observed either on their own or in pairs feeding on tiny crustaceans and other zooplankton by sucking prey into their toothless mouths As with seahorses seadragon males are the sex that cares for the developing eggs Females lay around 120 eggs onto the brood patch located on the underside of the males tail The eggs are fertilised and carried by the male for around a month before the hatchlings emerge 4 The young are independent at birth beginning to eat shortly after 8 Common seadragons take about 28 months to reach sexual maturity and may live for up to six years 9 nbsp Common SeadragonMating in captivity is relatively rare since researchers have yet to understand what biological or environmental factors trigger them to reproduce The survival rate for young common seadragons is low in the wild but it is about 60 in captivity 10 The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach California and the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga Tennessee 11 in the US and the Melbourne Aquarium in Melbourne Australia 12 are among the few facilities in the world to have successfully bred common seadragons in captivity though others occasionally report egg laying In March 2012 the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta USA announced a successful breeding event of common seadragons 13 As of July 2012 the Monterey Bay Aquarium has also successfully bred and hatched out baby common seadragons on exhibit 14 Most recently Birch Aquarium successfully bred and hatched common seadragon fry in early 2023 15 Threats EditThe common seadragon is classified as Least Concern LC on the IUCN Red List 2017 16 While the common seadragon is a desired species in the international aquarium trade the volume of wild caught individuals is small and therefore not currently a major threat Instead habitat loss and degradation due to human activities and pollution threaten common seadragons most The loss of suitable seagrass beds and loss of canopy seaweed from inshore rock reefs coupled with natural history traits that make them poor dispersers put the future of seadragon populations at risk This species is not at present a victim of bycatch or a target of trade in traditional Chinese medicine two activities which are currently a threat to many related seahorse and pipefish populations 17 18 Conservation Edit nbsp Weedy Sea DragonIt is illegal to take or export these species in most of the states within which they occur 4 A database of seadragon sightings known as Dragon Search has been established with support from the Marine Life Society of South Australia Inc Dragon Search arose as the logical progression of a similar project initiated by the MLSSA which was the first community group or indeed organisation of any type to adopt the common seadragon s close relative the leafy seadragon as part of its logo the Marine and Coastal Community Network MCCN the Threatened Species Network TSN and the Australian Marine Conservation Society AMCS which encourages divers to report sightings 4 Monitoring of populations may provide indications of local water quality and seadragons could also become an important flagship species for the often overlooked richness of the unique flora and fauna of Australia s south coast 4 source source source source source source Video clipCaptive breeding programs are in place for the weedy seadragon headed up by Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium The dragon has been difficult to breed in captivity though in 2015 research observing the creatures in the wild and trying to replicate the conditions in captivity had researchers making changes to the light water temperature and water flow proving to be key In December 2015 the Melbourne aquarium hatched eggs and the aquarium s weedy seadragon population significantly increased The aquarium reported in March 2016 that 45 fry were still going strong a 95 survival rate 19 Related species EditThe common seadragon is in the subfamily Syngnathinae which contains all pipefish It is most closely related to the other member of its genus the ruby seadragon Phyllopteryx dewysea and also the leafy seadragon Phycodurus eques Haliichthys taeniophorus sometimes referred to as the ribboned seadragon is not closely related it does not form a true monophyletic clade with weedy and leafy seadragons 20 The common seadragon was previously the only member of its genus until the description of the ruby seadragon in 2015 21 Ongoing research EditIn the November 2006 issue of National Geographic magazine marine biologist Greg Rouse is reported as investigating the DNA variation of the two seadragon species across their ranges References EditThis article incorporates text from the ARKive fact file Common seadragon under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3 0 Unported License and the GFDL Pollom R 2017 Phyllopteryx taeniolatus IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017 e T17177A67624517 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2017 2 RLTS T17177A67624517 en Retrieved 11 November 2021 a b Froese Rainer Pauly Daniel eds 2018 Phyllopteryx taeniolatus in FishBase February 2018 version Bray D J 2011 Common Seadragon Phyllopteryx taeniolatus in Fishes of Australia accessed 26 Aug 2014 http www fishesofaustralia net au home species 3127 a b c d e f g Dragon Search Retrieved 15 September 2017 Melbourne Aquarium Archived from the original on 5 January 2006 Retrieved 18 February 2005 Dept of Sustainability and Environment Victoria gt The marine faunal emblem for the State of Victoria Archived 20 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2011 Western Australia Department of Fisheries Archived from the original on 2 April 2003 Retrieved 18 February 2005 Morrison S Storrie A 1999 Wonders of Western Waters The Marine Life of South Western Australia CALM p 68 ISBN 978 0 7309 6894 8 Life History of the Weedy Sea Dragon Research Sydney Institute of Marine Science 9 September 2008 Archived from the original on 5 May 2016 Retrieved 30 April 2016 Endangered sea dragon at Ga aquarium pregnant Newsvine Associated Press 12 June 2008 Retrieved 2 March 2015 Papercut Interactive Tennessee Aquarium tnaqua org Melbourne Aquarium gt Conservation Archived 19 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 6 April 2012 Largest Brood of Weedy Sea Dragons Born at Georgia Aquarium Archived 26 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine Georgia Aquarium press release 29 March 2012 Accessed 15 August 2013 Weedy Sea Dragons Born At Monterey Bay Aquarium Retrieved 5 August 2012 https today ucsd edu story birch aquarium welcomes baby weedy seadragons The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Retrieved 25 July 2019 unknown url Martin Smith K amp Vincent A 2006 Exploitation and trade of Australian seahorses pipehorses sea dragons and pipefishes Family Syngnathidae Oryx 40 141 151 Weedy Seadragon Zoo Aquarium Association Archived from the original on 14 March 2016 Retrieved 6 September 2012 Smith Bridie 3 March 2016 Record season for captive bred weedy sea dragons The Age Melbourne Fairfix Media Retrieved 4 March 2016 Wilson N G amp Rouse G W 2010 Convergent camouflage and the non monophyly of seadragons Syngnathidae Teleostei suggestions for a revised taxonomy of syngnathids Zoologica Scripta 39 551 558 Rare Ruby Seadragon uncovered in Western Australia Western Australian Museum Retrieved 19 February 2015 External links EditCommon Seadragon video on Youtube weedy seadragon phyllopteryx taeniolatus Common seadragon media from ARKive nbsp Australian Museum Online Leafy and Weedy Seadragons Leafy Seadragons and Weedy Seadragons Weedy Sea Dragon Monitoring Program in Botany Bay Leafy Sea Dragon Festival Weedy Sea Dragon Youtube Male Weedy Seadragon with eggs Youtube Weedy Seadragon Male Weedy Sea Dragon carrying eggs BBC Weedy seadragon videos news and facts Fishes of Australia Phyllopteryx taeniolatus Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Common seadragon amp oldid 1177558714, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
