The Weedy Sea Dragon is the only species belonging to the Phyllopteryx genus. This fish species is a close relative of the seahorse and the Leafy Sea Dragon. It is found in different states of Australia.
NOAA is working to understand and address key threats to coral reef ecosystems: the impacts from global climate change, unsustainable fishing practices and pollution. The top threats to coral reefs â global climate change, unsustainable fishing and land-based pollution â are all due to human activities. These threats, combined with others such as tropical storms, disease outbreaks, vessel damage, marine debris and invasive species, exacerbate each other.
For example, anchor damage on a reef in the Virgin Islands resulted in a decrease in live coral cover, compared to coral cover on adjacent undamaged reefs which remained ten years after the damage occurred. ref Anchoring also damages reef-associated habitats such as seagrasses, which provide important nursery and juvenile habitats for many coral reef species.