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Seahorses
Seahorses have long snouts and bony bodies. They are mostly found on the ocean floor, holding onto seaweeds with their curled tails. Seahorses are loyal to their partners, devoted parents and can change their skin colour to suit their surroundings. Their scientific genus name Hippocampus means horse sea-monster. Ancient Greek poets used their name to refer to mythical half-horse, half-fish sea creatures that were ridden by sea gods. Seahorses are found all over the world in shallow coastal tropical or temperate waters. Australia has at least twenty species in its waters. Some of these include the pot-belly seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis), sad seahorse (H. tristis), and Whites seahorse (H. whitei) (pictured giving birth).

Seadragons
Seadragons are distinguished from seahorses by their long bodies - which have many leaf-like attachments, and their straight tails which they cannot curl. They have excellent camouflage neither their prey nor their predators readily recognise them as fish. The father carries the eggs on the underside of his tail, instead of in a pouch like a seahorse. There are two different types of seadragons, the weedy seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) (pictured) and the leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques). The weedy or common seadragon is only found in the more southern waters of Australia. Adult weedies grow to 46cm in length. The leafy seadragon is only found in South Australia and parts of Western Australia. Adult leafies are smaller seadragons, only growing up to 35cm in length.

Seashore Secrets
Where can you find them?
Seadragons and their relatives tend to Madura pipefish (Hippichthys heptagonus) form groups or colonies, often quite near the shore. They can be found washed up dead on beaches when beachcombing or alive while diving in coastal waters. Seadragons and seahorses are very difficult to spot in the wild because they are masters of disguise. They blend in very well with the seagrass, mangrove, coral and estuarine communities that they live in. They also occur in and around artificial structures colonised by seaweed such as jetties and swimming enclosures. They can change colour in a matter of minutes and can even grow extra bits of skin to mimic seagrasses and seaweeds. If you look very carefully and move very slowly, you may be lucky enough to see pipehorses or pipefish swimming around a rocky reef, through a seagrass meadow or across the sandy sea floor.

When diving: Contact your local dive store for

Pipehorses
Pipehorses earned their name because they resemble a cross between a seahorse and a pipefish. A pipehorses head is angled slightly towards its trunk and it has a curly, grasping tail (like a seahorse). Pipehorses also have a long stretched out body (like a pipefish). Some examples of pipehorses include Dunkers pipehorse (Solegnathus dunckeri) from Lord Howe Island and Queenslands spiny pipehorse (Solegnathus sp. 1) (pictured).

information on any weedie colony or other syngnathid spot nearest to you.

Pipefish
Pipefishes have long snake-like bodies, with their head in line with the rest of their body. Pipefishes grow to 65cm and live for about two years. Some pipefish are quite adventurous, eating parasites off moray eels. The upsidedown pipefish (Heraldia nocturnia) lives in depths to 20m and is usually seen in pairs swimming upside down on the ceilings of caves and under ledges in sheltered bays or estuaries.

When beachcombing: Syngnathids are often

found washed up on our beaches after storms. Look for them hidden amongst seaweed and other debris.

Remember: Weedy seadragons are found in

kelp-covered rocky reefs around the southern coastline of Australia, from the central NSW coast to Rottnest Island in WA. Leafy seadragons are endemic to (only found in) South Australia and southern WA.

Hairy pipefish (Urocampus carinirostris)

Bend stick pipefish (Trachyrhamphus bicoarctatus)

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Javelin pipefish (Lissocampus runa)

For more information Diving & Boating Etiquette

Seadragons and their relatives are gentle, fragile creatures take care!
There are about 28 species of syngnathids found in the waters of NSW. The weedy seadragon is the only syngnathid that is protected in NSW. However, all syngnathids are protected in Victoria and Tasmania. A permit is required to take protected marine species from the wild. Threats to syngnathids are little understood but may include harvesting or collection, and impacts on their preferred habitats. Little is known about the ecology of syngnathids in the wild. The Marine & Coastal Community Network (MCCN) is a
national, non-government, community based organisation which runs the Dragonsearch project in NSW. For more information or free membership call 1800 815 332 or visit www.mccn.org.au

Watch your fins! When snorkelling in shallow seas be very careful to move gently through the water, even when you cant see seadragons or their relatives. They might be watching you! Sudden flicks of your fins can damage or even kill these amazing fish. Dont handle them! Seahorses and their relatives get very stressed from being handled. They are also very sensitive to any changes in water pressure, and may die if taken to the surface. Dont use flashlights when photographing! Seahorses and their relatives are easily frightened and can die of shock or stress from sudden bright lights. Watch your propellers and anchors! Do not anchor in seagrass or seaweed and coral communities where they live. Anchors can destroy their homes and even kill them. When boating in shallow areas where seagrass, seaweed or coral communities are present, use your paddles until you are further out. Tell us if you see seadragons! If you find any seadragons, seahorses, pipehorses or pipefishes, please let us know. Send us any photographs of beachwashed seadragons and their relatives, or email nsw@mccn.org.au.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society

(AMCS) is Australias number one marine conservation group dedicated to protecting our oceans. AMCS supports the Dragon Search project. For more information or to join AMCS contact (freecall) 1800 066 299 or visit www.amcs.org.au

Potbelly seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis)

Coastcare facilitates community, government and

industry stewardship of coastal and marine issues. The NSW branch provides funding support for the Dragon Search NSW project. For more information contact Environment Australias Community Information Unit on 1800 803 772 or visit www.ea.gov.au/coasts/coastcare/

If you snorkel, dive or walk on the beach this summer, keep an eye out for Seadragons, Seahorses and their relatives.
Seahorses are the better known members the Syngnathid family, which also includes seadragons, pipefishes and pipehorses. The scientific name for this family is Syngnathidae, meaning fusedjaws. This refers to their tubed snouts, which they use like a straw to suck up tiny plankton, shrimp-like crustaceans and larval fishes. In all members of this family, the fathers carry the eggs in pouch-like openings or beneath their tails. Only the males care for the young. Seadragons and their relatives are found in relatively shallow waters along our coastline.

For a PDF version of a Syngnathids of NSW poster, send an email to nsw@mccn.org.au

Produced by Ingrid Neilson and Craig Bohm for the Marine and Coastal Community Network. Photographs courtesy of Rudie Kuiter. Illustrated by Ingrid Neilson. Designed by jacst r design Much of the information in this brochure was sourced from S.A. Lourie, A.C.J.Vincent and H.J.Hall (1999) Seahorses: an identification guide to the worlds species and their conservation. Project Seahorse, London, UK.

Which ones live near you?

Red pipefish (Notiocampus ruber)

Sad seahorse (Hippocampus tristus)