Lembeh Seadragon

Kyonemichthys rumengani

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Syngnathiformes
Family: Syngnathidae
Genus: Kyonemichthys
Species: Kyonemichthys rumengani

The Lembeh seadragon (Kyonemichthys rumengani) is a thread-thin pipehorse barely 2-3 cm long, so translucent and fine it can look like a stray piece of hydroid. Despite the name, it is not a true seadragon but a tiny member of the seahorse and pipefish family.

It was described only in 2008 from Lembeh Strait in Indonesia. It clings with its prehensile tail to hydroids, algae and sponges, often in groups, and feeds on minute plankton. Its colour ranges from pale pink to reddish-brown with a slightly hairy-looking body.

The Lembeh seadragon has since been found elsewhere in the western Pacific, including the Philippines, where experienced guides sometimes find it on muck sites. It is one of the smallest syngnathids a diver can hope to see.