There are currently two recognised species of seadragons in the world, both living in the cooler waters of southern Australia (Pictures). The Leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques) occurs in southern Western Australia and South Australia, while the weedy seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) has a wider and more continuous range. These dragons are listed by the 2006 IUCN Red list of threatened species as being ‘near threatened’, while previously they were regarded as data deficient. The seadragons are close relatives of sea horses and pipefishes, and like those groups, the male carries the fertilized eggs until tiny juveniles hatch. We are interested in using genetic methods to explore three main areas regarding these animals:

• Are the seadragons a monophyletic lineage, and how are they related to other pipefish?
• How many species of seadragon are there? Is there evidence of cryptic speciation?
• How much gene flow occurs between populations along the southern coast? Do different populations require more (or less) protection than others?

Map modified from National Geographic