Ruby Seadragon Identification Guide
Identify the rare Ruby Seadragon by its reddish-pink body, minimal leafy appendages, and curled tail tip.
Read the full Ruby Seadragon encyclopedia entry →
Key identification features
- Overall body color is reddish-pink to deep ruby-red, distinct from the olive, yellow, or purple tones of other seadragons
- Leaf-like skin appendages are greatly reduced or absent, giving a comparatively smooth, streamlined outline
- Tail tip is curled and prehensile, unlike the straight tails of related seadragon species
- Slender, elongated body encased in bony rings with a long tubular snout and small fins
- Reaches roughly 15-25 cm, somewhat smaller than the leafy seadragon
Common look-alikes
- Leafy seadragon: covered in abundant, elaborate leaf-shaped appendages and colored olive, yellow, or brown
- Weedy seadragon: shorter leafy appendages, a straight (non-curled) tail, and purple, red, and yellow body with pale blue stripes
Where you'll see one
The ruby seadragon lives in deeper offshore waters off Western Australia, particularly around the Recherche Archipelago, typically at depths beyond 50 meters. Because it inhabits water far deeper than the shallow reef and seagrass habitats used by the leafy and weedy seadragons, it is rarely encountered by divers and was only formally described as a distinct species in 2015 after decades of being overlooked.
Frequently asked questions
What is the single best clue that a seadragon is a ruby seadragon and not a leafy or weedy seadragon?
Its plain reddish-pink body with few or no leafy appendages, plus a curled prehensile tail tip, sets it apart from the heavily leaf-adorned leafy and weedy seadragons.
Why are ruby seadragons so rarely seen?
They live in much deeper offshore water than other seadragon species, generally past recreational diving depths, which keeps sightings uncommon.