AnimalvsAnimal
Phyllopteryx taeniolatus1🌊

Photo: Richard Ling <wikipedia@rling.com> --&gt… · CC BY-SA 3.0

SpeciesSyngnathiformesSyngnathidae
Fish

🌊Common seadragon

Phyllopteryx taeniolatus (Lacepède, 1804)

The common seadragon or weedy seadragon is a marine fish of the order Syngnathiformes, which also includes the similar pipefishes, seahorses, and trumpetfishes among other species. Adult common seadragons are a reddish colour, with yellow and purple striped markings; they have small, leaf-like appendages that resemble kelp or seaweed fronds, providing camouflage, as well as a number of short spines for protection. As with seahorses and the other syngnathids, the seadragon has a similarly tubular snout and a fused, toothless jaw into which it captures small invertebrate prey at lightning speed. Males have narrower bodies and are darker than females. Seadragons have a long dorsal fin along the back and small pectoral fins on either side of the neck, which provide balance. Weedy seadragons can reach 45 cm (18 in) in length.

Text: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Videos
None yet
Photos
1
Measurements
4
Also called
Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, Lucas' Seadragon, Weedy sea dragon, Weedy seadragon, Weedy Seadragon
Conservation status
VUVulnerable

IUCN Red List assessment, 2025.

Population trendDecreasing
Key measurements
Body mass
not recorded
Body length
0.46 m
Shoulder height
not recorded
Top speed
not recorded
Bite force
not recorded
Maximum lifespan
not recorded
All measurements ↓
Facts and figures

Everything we know about the Common seadragon

Typical adult figures. Where a value is an estimate rather than a measurement, it says so.

Body length
0.46 mmaximum recorded
FishBase
Details ↓

Source: FishBase · v25.04 · CC BY-NC 4.0

Trophic level
3.5
FishBase
Details ↓

Source: FishBase · v25.04, estimate table · CC BY-NC 4.0

Diet
carnivoreaverage
Details ↓

From trophic level 3.5 (FishBase): <2.2 herbivore, 2.2–2.8 omnivore, >2.8 carnivore.

Danger to humans
harmless
FishBase
Details ↓

Source: FishBase · v25.04 · CC BY-NC 4.0

average = a mean across sexes or species in a group.

Not recorded for Common seadragon yet: body mass, shoulder height, top speed, bite force, maximum lifespan.

More

More about the Common seadragon

In other languages
סוסון העשב (he), มังกรทะเลใบหญ้า (th), 澳洲葉海馬魚 (zh), Dragão-marinho-comum (pt), Phyllopteryx taeniolatus (fr), Phyllopteryx taeniolatus (ru) … and 19 more languages
Videos

No videos of the Common seadragon yet.

We have 44,653 videos so far, and none of them features this animal yet.

All videos →
Tools

Compare the Common seadragon

Pick a tool — the Common seadragon is already selected.