Scripps Institution of Oceanography researchers in La Jolla have discovered a colorful new species of seadragon.
The ruby seadragon joins only two other known species of seadragon, both of which are more lightly colored. Scripps graduate student Josefin Stiller says its crimson hue offers clues about where it dwells.
"We think that the ruby seadragon may be red because it may inhabit deeper waters," Stiller said.
Seadragons are closely related to seahorses. And like seahorses, certain sex roles are reversed in seadragons, with males carrying the eggs and females competing for access to males.
But they're bigger than seahorses and are distinguished by their elaborate appendages. The leafy seadragon has especially floral skin flaps, helping them blend in with kelp and seaweed.
The new species was identified using samples from museums in Australia, the only part of the world where seadragons are found. One sample had been sitting in the Western Australia Museum’s collection since 1919.
"We haven't found everything," Stiller says about the discovery. "Even a relatively large, brightly colored fish that is beautiful can slip through our fingers for a hundred years."
A paper describing the ruby seadragon was published Tuesday in Royal Society Open Science. Researchers hope to study it in the wild soon.
