Space use by the endemic common (weedy) seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus): influence of habitat and prey.

The weedy seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus: Syngnathidae) is an iconic fish endemic to the southern coastal waters of Australia. We analysed the habitat preferences and factors influencing microhabitat selection by P. taeniolatus in a population from Kurnell, NSW, Australia. Using field surveys and the resource selection probability function, we determined that P. taeniolatus significantly preferred kelp (Ecklonia radiata) - dominated habitat and avoided rock dominated habitat. We demonstrated P. taeniolatus preferred habitat of between 40 - 80 % coverage of Ecklonia, whilst avoiding areas of < 20 % cover. Furthermore, across all habitats, mysid prey availability significantly influenced P. taeniolatus habitat selection. The strong dependence of P. taeniolatus on Ecklonia habitat shown in this study was previously untested and highlights that reductions in Ecklonia cover under climate change, or impacts from increasing urbanisation, may render seadragon populations vulnerable to declines. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

• Publication year

  2021

• Venue

  Journal of Fish Biology

• Publication date

  2021-10-25

• Fields of study

  Biology, Medicine, Environmental Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1111/jfb.14931PMID 34697812
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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