The marine faunal emblem for the State of Victoria

Weedy Seadragon - Phyllopteryx taeniolatus

Information

The Weedy Seadragon was selected as Victoria's official marine faunal emblem by public nomination and was proclaimed by the Governor in Council on 31 October 2002.

Distribution

The Weedy Seadragon represents the delicate and beautiful world found beneath the waters of Victoria’s unique marine environment. Weedy Seadragons are only found in southern Australian waters – living in coastal waters from Newcastle NSW to Tasmania to Geraldton in Western Australia – with their range centered around Victoria.

Part of the family Syngnathidae (pronounced SING-NAY-THID-AY), which includes seahorses, pipehorses and pipefish, the Weedy Seadragon is related to the Leafy Seadragon, which is South Australia’s marine State emblem.

Weedy Seadragons are beautifully coloured, dainty, timid animals that swim slowly and gracefully. They can grow up to 46 cm in length.

Forests of brown kelp and seagrass meadows (mainly Amphibolis sp) are vital habitat for the survival of Weedy Seadragons in shallow waters. In deeper waters they prefer to live amongst offshore reefs containing sponge gardens and brown kelp.

Long leaf-shaped flaps of skin protrude from stalk-like bony projections at intervals along the top and bottom of the body. This enables seadragon’s to perfectly camouflage within their habitat and be easily overlooked.

Breeding

Breeding occurs annually, usually in late Spring when the seadragons pair up. Like their pipefish and seahorse relatives, the male seadragon broods the eggs.

With Weedy Seadragons, up to 300 eggs can be laid by the female underneath the male's tail, where they are brooded. The eggs are bright pink when fresh and darken as they develop. They hatch after two months as 25mm long miniature versions of the adults, but grow quickly to 7 cm within about three weeks. By four months they are about one quarter of the length of an adult and after two years have reached their maximum size.

Weedy Seadragons may live up to ten years in the wild.

Diet

Diet consists mainly of small crustaceans. Young feed almost exclusively on mysid shrimp. Adults will feed on mysids, other small shrimp and crawling crustaceans, including squat lobsters.

Using its long thin tubular snout the Weedy Seadragon captures food by a powerful suction action, drawing water and prey rapidly into its mouth. Special muscles in the snout can widen it to capture different sizes of food.

Conservation Status

The Weedy Seadragon, as part of the Syngnathidae family, is fully protected as ‘Protected Aquatic Biota’ under the Victorian Fisheries Act 1995.

Where can Victorians experience the world of Weedy Seadragons?

In the wild, if you look carefully, you may be rewarded with a view of this amazing creature hovering around piers near clumps of brown kelp, along the edges of seagrass beds and in deeper water amongst sponges and brown kelp forests on offshore reefs.

Snorkelers and divers can observe Weedy Seadragons in many of the Marine National Parks and Marine Sanctuaries situated along Victoria’s coast, near Portland, Point Addis, Queenscliff, Barwon Heads, Portsea, Rye, Flinders, Wilsons Promontory and Gippsland.

On land, most days you can view our beautiful emblem at the Melbourne Aquarium.

Care when observing Weedy Seadragons

Weedy Seadragons are very delicate fish. They are easily injured and should not be handled.

Click on the still images below to see the Weedy Seadragon in its Victorian habitat.

Photos

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Sub adult at Flinders Pier Image: William Boyle	Male with eggs at Flinders Pier Image: Rudie Kuiter	Juveniles at Portsea Image: Rudie Kuiter	.
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Juvenile at Flinders Image: Rudie Kuiter	Male with eggs at Flinders Image: Rudie Kuiter	At Portsea Image: Rudie Kuiter	.