Sea dragon
| Sea dragon | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sea dragon ( Phyllopteryx taeniolatus ) |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Phyllopteryx taeniolatus | ||||||||||||
| ( Lacépède , 1804) |
The sea dragon ( Phyllopteryx taeniolatus ) or small shredded fish belongs to the pipefish (Syngnathidae). Until Phyllopteryx dewysea was discovered as a new species in 2015, it was considered the only species in the genus Phyllopteryx .
distribution
Its distribution area is limited exclusively to the seagrass and seaweed meadows of the South Australian coast, from the region around Sydney , via Tasmania to Perth .
features
Bone plates strung together give the fragile-looking body robustness. The pectoral and dorsal fins serve as driving organs, with which the sea dragon can move almost weightlessly forwards and backwards as well as up and down. It has numerous body processes that consist of skin flaps and are modeled in every detail on the branches of the seaweed tufts (scientific name: (Greek) phyllon leaf, pteryx feather, (Latin) taeniolatus with small bands). The brownish-yellow color and the pattern of the skin additionally strengthen the camouflage in the seagrass and seaweed meadows. The sea dragon reaches a total length of about 46 centimeters.
Defense and hunting strategy
Due to their body shape and color, they appear to predators as clusters of algae drifting past. At the same time, they are well camouflaged for their own catch of prey. Sea dragons drift discreetly to a shrimp, aim at the prey and suck it in at lightning speed into the mouth opening at the end of the tubular mouth. This process takes place so quickly that it is difficult to see with the naked eye.
Reproduction
The breeding business of the sea dragons, as with all other pipefish , is a man's business. After an impressive courtship, the male takes over the eggs from the female. These are covered with a sticky substance so that they can adhere to the body and at the same time this substance causes the surface of the skin to expand. This type of brood care enables the eggs to develop optimally, to have a sufficient supply of oxygen and to protect them from predators.
Web links
- Sea dragon on Fishbase.org (English)
- Phyllopteryx taeniolatus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2006. Posted by: Connolly, 2006. Retrieved on 9 May, 2006.