LEGENDARY PEARL GUARDIAN

 

Legendary Pearl Guardian, acrylic on canvas, 2023. 23" X 18"

The weedy sea dragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus), also called the common sea dragon, inhabits the waters off south and east Australia. This superbly camouflaged fish is usually found in kelp-covered rocky reefs. Compared to the leafy sea dragon, weedy sea dragons have less flamboyant projections and are usually reddish in color with yellow spots. Like its close cousin, the seahorse, the weedy sea dragon is an awkward swimmer and instead will often swirl and drift with the current like a blade of seaweed.

As with seahorses, male sea dragons are responsible for childbearing. But instead of a pouch, like seahorses have, male sea dragons have a spongy brood patch on the underside of the tail where females deposit up to 250 bright-pink, pearl-like eggs during mating. The eggs are fertilized during the transfer from the female to the male. The males then incubate the eggs and carry them to term, releasing miniature sea dragons into the water after about four to six weeks.

The aquarium trade is probably not a threat to this species because its temperate water requirement, diet and size make it difficult for the average aquarist to keep. The weedy sea dragon is protected in the waters of New South Wales and Tasmania, and is listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 

The painting is inspired by Matthew Smith's award-winning photograph of a weedy sea dragon carrying eggs.

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