Virtual Visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Leafy Sea Dragon Phycodurus eques These sea dragons eat small shrimp-like animals known as mysid shrimp. They can be found in South and Western Australia and have an average size of 11.8 inches but have been known to reach up to 19.6 inches. This animal eats in a unique way, it uses its tube-like mouth like a drinking straw by slurping up prey once they come near. Sea dragons can eat thousands of mysid shrimp in one day. The conservation concern for these animals is that the seagrass and seaweed beds where these animals live in Western Australia are threatened by pollution and excessive fertilizer runoff. In effort to help this population grow, The Australian government allows for one brooding male to be collected each year. The hatchlings are then to different places around the world for education and research programs. Male sea dragons carry the females eggs until they hatch just like male seahorses do. The main difference though is that sea dragons do not have a pouch...