Sea Creatures 101: Sea Dragons: Are They Real?

They sure don't look real! Sea-dragons look like something out of a fairy tale or science fiction book. These fish (yes- they are fish) have long, slender bodies and a long snout-like mouth. They are related to sea-horses and pipe-fish. They are called "sea-dragons" because they resemble the ancient chinese dragons with wing-like appendages coming out from either side of their bodies.

There are two kinds of sea-dragons, both of which live only in Australia. The weedy and the leafy sea-dragon. The weedy sea- dragon is called the "common" one, and is reddish with yellow spots and purple-blue bars. They are found only in southern Australian waters. An adult "weedy" can grow to 46 centimeters, or up to 14 inches long. They can be found near rocky reefs, seaweed beds, and any places where seaweed grows. These are often seen in aquariums, because they are the only sea-dragons allowed to leave Australia.

The leafy sea-dragon was declared a totally protected species in 1991 and can only be seen in Australia. Their flotation bladders are very fragile and can't handle changes in water pressure or water depth. These sea-dragons are mostly green in color with more ornate wing-like appendages. These also will grow to 46 centimeters. They like to inhabit inshore areas of sea grass, and can be found only in the southern waters of Western and South Australia. It is illegal to sell or transport "leafies" out of Australia.

Weedy and leafy sea-dragons have some things in common with pipe-fish and sea-horses. All of these creatures are fish with bony plates surrounding their bodies. Their jaws are fused into a "tube-snouted" mouth, and they have no stomach. They suck the small brine shrimp or plankton in their mouth, it passes through the body, and quickly passes out as waste. Because there is no stomach, there is no area to hold food for energy. Sea-dragons, sea-horses, and pipe-fish must eat constantly.

Another uniting factor is male pregnancy. (I think I just heard some women clapping on that one.) Yes- I said MALE pregnancy. When sea-dragons mate (generally August to the following March), the female lays 100-250 eggs onto the "brood patch" located on the underside of the male's tail. The brood patch has a series of cups with blood-rich tissue. Each cup holds one fertilized egg. The eggs are fed by the blood vessels on the cups. After about 4-6 weeks the male gives birth to baby sea-dragons. There is no nurturing period for these little sea-dragons. From that point on they have to fend for themselves. Baby sea-dragons won't eat plankton for a few days, though, because they are still eating the yolk sac they were born with.

Go To Page: 1 2