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Dragon Seamoth –  Eurypegasus draconis

Dragon Seamoth –  Eurypegasus Draconis

For the next leg of our macro adventure we are going to look at something really bizarre, the Dragon Seamoth!

Dragon Seamoths, also known as the Short Dragonfish, Dwarf Seamoth or the Common Seamoth, are part of the small Pegasidae family known for their flattened bodies, large pectoral fins, long snouts and fantastic camouflage. There are only around 5 different species of Seamoths and you really need to keep your eyes open to spot them.

Dragon Seamoth

What’s in a name?

Seamoths get their common name from their appearance, looking like a dusty grey moth with their large spread pectoral fins looking like a moth’s wings and their grey camouflage. However, Dragon Seamoths are named after their scaly exoskeleton, which is made up of a series interlocking bony plates like a medieval suit of armour.

Their scientific name also reflects this; ‘draconis’ comes from the Latin for dragon, ‘draco’, and the first part comes from two Greek words, ‘eurys’ meaning long and ‘pege’ from Pegasus, the legendary winged horse.

 

Habitat and distribution.

Dragon Seamoths can be found throughout the Indian Ocean, western and central Pacific Ocean and Red Sea. Whilst the species has been seen as shallow as 3m, it can be most often observed between 37 and 91m. It can be seen in bays and estuaries but this is not very common due to the increased depth they prefer to live at. However, in the Red Sea and Philippines they can be seen between 1.1 to 20m hiding amongst coral rubble and camouflaged against sandy bottoms.

Looks that kill.

These critters are one of the weirdest things you can find on the reef! I always think they look a little bit like the red-lipped batfish, only with a longer, more pointed snout.

Adult Dragon Seamoths have short, squat bodies which range in colour from dark, mottled browns to pale greys and whites. The Dragon Seamoth is actually able to change its body colour to suit its surroundings and better blend into the background so as to not be seen. They have tails roughly to same length as their bodies with a small caudal fin, speed is not the first choice of the Seamoth so the tail is enough for a quick burst of speed but not for extended swimming.

The pectoral fins of the Dragon Seamoth are beautiful and are often the best way to spot them! They are each around the same size as the body of the fish with thick fin rays stretching out like the wings of a bat. Usually white to cream in colour, there is also a vivid blue or lilac band across them. This band is a good way to identify the Dragon Seamoth from other species of Seamoths. These large pectoral fins are used by the fish to crawl across the seabed like an ancient pterosaur or dragon like their namesake and they are great to watch doing so.

Another distinguishing feature of the Dragon Seamoth is their long rostrum or snout. Usually a much darker black or brown than the rest of the body, the mouth of the fish is located underneath it rather than at the tip of it. The long rostrum is used to burrow into the sand or seabed to get at prey which the Seamoth eats with an extendable, tube like mouth.

Lifestyle choices.

Dragon Seamoths, like a lot of the fish we look at, are broadcast spawners. This means that eggs and sperm cells are released into the water column where they can mix freely before drifting away. These fish appear to be monogamous, pairing for life with a mate and moving around in pairs. It is unknown whether or not the fish will find another mate if the other dies or if they stay alone.

Spawning occurs during a dance like display between the two fish. They glide slowly upwards to around 50cm above the seabed, with their undersides pressed closely together. The Seamoths then rise up very quickly together and release their gametes before circling back down towards the seabed. I cannot find much information about what governs when the fish breed but I imagine it to be similar to fish like dragonets and mandarinfish, breeding at dusk before sleeping at night.

Life on the reef.

Often spotted on sandy bottoms and amongst coral fragmetns or pther places to hide, the Dragon Seamoth is a diurnal species. This means they are active during the day and sleep at night. One article I read about the Seamoth suggests that during the night, the Seamoth simply stops and sleeps where it is. While this would normally be a bad idea for a creature, it does show how much the Seamoth trusts its camouflage abilities.

There is another interesting thing to mention about the Dragon Seamoths skin. I said earlier that it gets the dragon name from its interlocking bony scales that act like a suit of armour. Unlike many other fish, Dragon Seamoths shed their scales all in one go, leaving a cast much like a snake or crustacean. This is done as often as every 5 days and it is believed to be linked to the camouflage of the fish, helping it maintain the colour of its surroundings. It may also be to stop things like algae, hydroids or other encrusting life from attaching to it’s slow moving body.

Using suction from it’s tube like mouth, the Dragon Seamoth feeds of a variety of different foods, ranging from different planktonic organisms and small crustaceans to the highly nutritious eggs of other fish. They can also burrow using their long snout to reach worms and mollusks hiding in the sediment.

Lastly, Dragon Seamoths grow to a maximum size of 10cm with there being little difference between male and females of the species. I cannot find any information about the maximum lifespan of these fish but if we compare them to other fish with similar life strategies, such as the mandarinfish, we can estimate a similar 10-15 year life span. This is, however, purely speculation and should only be taken as such.

Personal experiences.

The bottom line.

The post Dragon Seamoth –  Eurypegasus draconis appeared first on Scuba Travel Blog.

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