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Facts on animals and plants: Weedy Seadragon
| "Weedy Seadragon" |
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Weedy Seadragon
The Weedy Seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus), also named the Common Seadragon can only be found in the southern Australian waters. They are named after the dragons of Chinese legends because of their looks
A Weedy Seadragon can grow to about 46cm in length. The matured Weedy Seadragon usually is orange redish in colour with yellow-white spots and purple-blue bars. He also has a few smaller leaf-like appendages on his the body. He has an armoured body that is protected by bony plates. He feed on plankton, larval fishes and small shrimp-like creatures. He uses his snout to catch his prey: he sucks it up.
While folating on the seabottom, the Weedy Seadragon can resemble the seaweed on the bottom of the sea and that is his camouflage (mimicry).
Weedy Seadragons usually breeds once per season. Like the Leafy Seadragon, it is the male who will keep the fertilized eggs on his tail. He will carry the eggs for a period of two months.
Photo by © Jeff Jeffords. Image used with permission.
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