The weedy seadragons have been found in Cronulla, Malabar, and the Central Coast, and are considered to be 10 times more prevalent than regular wash-ups on the beaches.
A strange alien-like creature with 'human lips' washed ashore on an Australian beach lately, perplexing residents
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Charismatic, iconic and Instagram-friendly, the weedy seadragon is a favourite with divers and snorkellers. The first genomic study of east coast Australian seadragon populations can now reveal weedies from NSW, Victoria and Tasmania are significantly different.
The study, published in
PLOS ONE, also reveals that Victorian weedy seadragons may form a subspecies which has implications for conservation management. The researchers recommend that, as a precautionary approach, these distinct populations be managed separately by each state.
Lead investigator Dr Selma Klanten, from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Fish Ecology Laboratory, said that despite the public popularity of these fish few scientific studies exist.