WhenToDive
Fish · 🐠

Leafy Seadragon

Phycodurus eques

The leafy seadragon is one of the most extravagantly camouflaged animals in the ocean — a relative of seahorses and pipefish, covered in leaf-shaped appendages that drift with the kelp it hides in. Leafies are endemic to the southern coast of Australia and found essentially nowhere else. The classic dive destinations are Rapid Bay and Edithburgh in South Australia. Water is cold (bring a 7mm suit or drysuit) but the dives are shallow and easy. Weedy seadragons (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) share similar habitat and are often seen on the same dive.

The leafy seadragon is one of the most extravagantly camouflaged animals in the ocean — a relative of seahorses and pipefish, covered in leaf-shaped appendages that drift with the kelp it hides in. Leafies are endemic to the southern coast of Australia and found essentially nowhere else. The classic dive destinations are Rapid Bay and Edithburgh in South Australia. Water is cold (bring a 7mm suit or drysuit) but the dives are shallow and easy. Weedy seadragons (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) share similar habitat and are often seen on the same dive.

The year at a glance

Global aggregated reliability — at any given month, how reliably can you find this species somewhere in the world?

Score 1–5 · global aggregated reliability Rare Moderate Reliable

Where to see them in April

Sorted by April reliability and species status.

  1. 01

    Rapid Bay & Edithburgh

    Australia · pacific · peak
    4/5

Full season breakdown

Peak Present Rare

Destination
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Notes
Rapid Bay & Edithburgh
Resident populations at both Rapid Bay jetty and Edithburgh jetty