Curious About...the Leafy Sea Dragon

Curious Based Learning: What? to Wow! of The Leafy Sea Dragon

What

Although a close relative of the seahorse, the leafy sea dragon is much larger. It can grow to over 14 inches (35cm) long.

Who

Who’s preying on leafy sea dragons? No one; they have no known predators

How

Leafy sea dragons have no predators for a couple of reasons: a) they have camouflage that makes them tough to spot and b) they have so little meat on them, larger fish don’t find them filling enough to spot.

Where

The leafy sea dragons are only found off the southern coast of Australia in kelp, seagrass, and boulders at depths up to 150 feet (50m).

When

When it’s time to move, its movements are controlled by the tiny fins on top of its head to steer it and its dorsal fins to propel it.

Why

Why don’t leafy sea dragons float away into the ocean? They use their tails to grab on and anchor them to a single spot.

Huh

Leafy sea dragons don’t have stomachs; this is why they must constantly be eating to stay alive.

Wow!

Male leafy sea dragons take care of baby leafy sea dragons by carrying around up to 250 pink eggs before they hatch--while female leafy sea dragons swim off to Florida.

More Stuff:

Read more about the Leafy Sea Dragon in The Screaming Hairy Armadillo.

Learn more about the Leafy Sea Dragon with the National Geographic.

Image by Julie Benbassat for The Screaming Hairy Armadillo

Curiosity Based Learning

What? to Wow!