A leafy seadragon drifts above a green seagrass bed in clear blue water. Gold body ridges follow its slender frame from the neck toward the tapering tail, and a narrow snout extends in front of the small dark eye. Delicate olive appendages spread from thin stalks along the body.

The leaflike shapes remain clearly attached to the fish while blending with the nearby seaweed. Fine translucent fin rays catch a little light behind the body, and pale lines cross the golden skin. Rocks, reddish algae and long grass blades fill the seabed below. Filtered daylight opens the water above, placing the intricate animal within a calm and varied coastal habitat.