LEAFY
SEADRAGON The Leafy Seadragon (Phycodorus eques) is a rare, unique and spectacular fish found in the cool waters of Southern Australia. "Leafies" are masters of camouflage and males are "perfect" dads that will carry approximately 200 eggs on special brood pouches until the young hatch as 30mm long replicas of their parents. These gentle dragons appear to have a home range and they are popular with scuba divers who can anticipate their whereabouts in coastal waters. Leafy Seadragons are the only totally protected bony fish in South Australia and they are the subject of contemporary research to study behaviour, habitat and distribution. They are the unofficial flagship for marine life that is found nowhere else in the world. Southern Australia can boast more than 85% endemism for its marine flora and fauna. This compares favourably with an estimated 15% endemism for the Great Barrier Reef.
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