Species learning profile
Common seadragon
Phyllopteryx taeniolatus
Common seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) is a saltwater fish associated with seagrass habitat in Australia. Males carry fertilized eggs on a brood patch beneath the tail.
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At a glance
- Água
- Água salgada
- Habitat
- seagrass
- Comprimento máximo
- 46 cm
- Distribuição
- Australia
- Família
- Syngnathidae
- Ordem
- Syngnathiformes
Observe
How to identify Common seadragon
- Males carry fertilized eggs on a brood patch beneath the tail.
- Guide context: seagrass habitat in Australia.
- Reported maximum length: 46 cm — up to about the length of a guitar. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with seagrass habitat across Australia. Seagrass meadows slow currents, trap food, and form a three-dimensional nursery and hunting ground.
Behavior
Uses a tube snout to suction tiny prey
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
Mysid shrimp and plankton.
Ecological role
Connects plankton with larger coastal predators.
Remember
One fact worth keeping
Common seadragon pode chegar a cerca de 46 cm e costuma viver perto de seagrass.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
Protecting clear water and intact seagrass safeguards both this species and the many young animals using the meadow.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Common seadragon in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
Make connections