Equipment: Nikon D850 camera, Nikon 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at 34mm, Nauticam housing with WACP-1 water contact optic, Ikelite DS161 strobes with diffusers
Réglages: 1/200 sec, f/11, ISO 800
Location: Portsea Jetty on the Mornington Peninsula south of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
The common seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) is anything but. Found only in Australia’s temperate coastal waters, this spectacular seahorse relative — also called the weedy seadragon — grows up to 18 inches long and is painted beautiful colors and whimsically festooned with teardrop-shaped skin flaps.
This particular specimen gliding through a seaweed garden is especially striking with fuchsia eggs on his underside — yes, this is a proud, pregnant papa. During late austral spring an amorous female transfers 200 to 300 eggs to her obliging partner, attaching them to his abdomen one at a time, gently pressing each BB-sized egg into the spongy tissue on which his sperm awaits to fertilize the eggs on contact. This soft tissue soon becomes firm enough to securely cup and hold the eggs.
Approximately eight weeks into the father’s brooding period miniature seadragons about 1.35 inches (3.4 centimeters) long will hatch and swim away, sheltering among weeds and rubble in shallow water, where they begin feeding on tiny crustaceans. They grow to full size — up to 18 inches (45 cm) — in about one year and can live to be 10 years old.
© Alert Diver – Q2 2025
