Seahorses and Seadragons - Southern Australia

These bizarre looking creatures, the seadragons and seahorses (along with pipefish ) are actually fish and are part of a family known as Syngnathidae. The first picture is of a Leafy seadragon which is endemic to South Australia and the Weedy seadragon, which is common in Victorian waters, is the states marine emblem. Leafy Seadragon

Weedy or Common Seadragon

Weedy seadragon

Big-belly Seahorse

Big-belly seahorse

Big-belly seahorse (above and below)

Short-headed seahorse

Fishes of Australia's temperate seas - Leatherjackets

There are many different species of leatherjackets in Victorian waters. They all have skin with small embedded scales and can be really colourful. They are called leatherjackets because of the way the skin peels off like a tight fitting coat and a number of species are good eating. This picture is a closeup of the markings on a horseshoe leatherjacket.

Six-spined Leatherjacket

Pygmy Leatherjackets

Mosaic Leatherjacket

Bridled Leatherjacket

Close-up of blue scribbling on a Six-spined Leatherjacket.

Horseshoe Leatherjacket

Six-spined Leatherjacket