Talk:Leafy sea dragon
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[edit] Evolution
I look at this animal and its pink coral cousin and really think that our current theories of evolution cannot explain their appearance. I don't go as far as intelligent design but just how do they so perfectly fit into their surroundings. Many other animals live in their habitate yet do not develop camouflage to such a degree. I could understand one frond, but how does it get so many, that all blend in with the plants? I cant see that this can be by natural selection alone. Does anyone know of any work done on their evolution?
- There's a lot of animals like that actually, if you think about it. Look at phasmids sometime. Not only do they perfectly resemble plant parts, but -different species- resemble -different plant parts- ... I agree that random chance can't possibly create such a perfect match, especially without creating thousands of imperfect matches every day.. and in the case of phasmids there's no reason unrelated "evolutions" would occur in the same family. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 75.73.48.43 (talk) 04:57, 1 February 2007 (UTC).
[edit] When discovered by humans?
I heard the leafy sea dragon was unknown until recently because, well, the camoflage was so fricking great. When was it discovered by humans? Tempshill 17:18, 23 September 2005 (UTC)
- I did a search on their scientific names and found references to the following names and dates:
- Weedy Seadragon - Phyllopteryx taeniolatus (Lacépède, 1804)
- Leafy Seadragon - Phycodurus eques (Günther, 1865)
- --Danny Rathjens 05:33, 3 January 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Which aquariums have them?
I'm interested which three "professional aquariums" have the leafy sea dragon as an exhibit. Also a source for this statement would be great. I know one of them is (or at least used to be) the Albuquerque Aquarium, which is where I saw them first. Stefan 00:14, 27 November 2005 (UTC)
- Whatever source that statement was based on is undoubtedly outdated. A quick Google search shows that they are probably exhibited at the Waikiki Aquarium, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Aquarium of the Pacific (Long Beach, CA), Melbourne Aquarium, Seattle Aquarium, Aquarium of Western Australia, Florida Aquarium, and that's just the first two pages! I'm removing the statement that says there are only three. --Rick Sidwell 05:31, 27 November 2005 (UTC)
[edit] propulsion
The article says that the leafy extrusions are not used for propulsion which leads to the question of how *do* they get around? I saw these fascinating critters at the Boston Aquarium last year and I saw that they get around by way of two sets of undulating translucent fins along their back that are barely visible. I am not sure of the proper terminology for this to add to the article, though. --Danny Rathjens 05:26, 3 January 2006 (UTC)
- I found the terms(pectoral and dorsal fin) and so added an explanation of their propulsion. These guys look really cool when you see them in motion; seemingly drifting until you notice the little whir of those fins. --Danny Rathjens 05:51, 3 January 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Re: Which aquariums have them?
The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta Georgia have leafy sea dragons in exhibition. WendyOlyvia 03:12, 17 September 2006 (UTC)
