Scientists are still discovering evidence of never-before-seen creatures, including this new species of seadragon from Western Australia.
Called the ruby seadragon for its color, this is only the third known species of seadragon and the first to be discovered in 150 years. Researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego stumbled on the new species while analyzing tissue samples at the Western Australian Museum to figure out how to better protect these fascinating creatures.
Seadragons are closely related to seahorses and pipefish and are typically distinguished by their leaf-like appendages. But unlike the orange-colored leafy seadragon and the spotted yellow and purple common seadragon, the ruby seadragon has a vivid red color and lacks the appendages.
The original specimen was caught in a trawling net further off the coast than where the other two species are usually spotted by scuba divers, which may explain why it has been overlooked for so long. The researchers think that may also explain the deeper color: the darker red shading could help camouflage it in deeper waters.
Before they later spotted it in the wild for the first time, the researchers said improved DNA technology allowed them to assemble 5,000 X-ray slices from a CT scan to create a 3D model of what the fish would look like. The model showed skeletal features, including a larger pectoral area and forward-facing spine that distinguishes it from the other two seadragon species.
Check out the video to see the first glimpse of the ruby seadragon in the wild:
