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.
Coral reefs are sometimes considered the medicine cabinets of the 21st century. Coral reef plants and animals are important sources of new medicines being developed to treat cancer, arthritis, human bacterial infections, Alzheimerâs disease, heart disease, viruses, and other diseases. Since corals are stationary animals, many have evolved chemical defenses to protect themselves from predators.