Unusual Creatures by Michael Hearst

Author:Michael Hearst
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9781452119854
Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC

Fig. 49 Komodo Dragon:

Komodo dragons spend most of their youth in trees and descend to the ground only when they are large enough to avoid being eaten by larger dragons.

LEAFY SEA DRAGON

SCIENTIFIC NAME: PHYCODURUS EQUES

KINGDOM Animalia

PHYLUM Chordata

CLASS Actinopterygii

ORDER Syngnathiformes

FAMILY Syngnathidae

GENUS Phycodurus

SPECIES P. eques

Distribution: The waters of Australia from Kangaroo Island on the southern shoreline to Jurien Bay on the western shoreline.

Perfectly camouflaged among the kelp and algae, the leafy sea dragon can be found along the southern and western coasts of Australia. It delicately floats next to reefs, easily blending in with its surroundings. Of course, this helps keep the leafy sea dragon safe from its numerous predators. Related to seahorses (and even more closely to the weedy sea dragon), the leafy sea dragon—with its long leaf-like skin growths—is by far the most elaborate-looking fish in the family. And despite its small size, this creature is a carnivore. The leafy sea dragon uses its pipe-like snout to suck plankton and even small shrimp and fish into its toothless mouth.

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